The Mother in the Memory
by Katniss730
Summary: Sequel to Flirting with Disaster. When B&B's daughter is kidnapped, Bones is forced to confront a painful time in her past. Told as a flashback of Bones recounting the experience to her granddaughter. Some M-rated chaps for sex, violence  throughout.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Okay, so here is the prologue for the sequel to _Flirting with Disaster_. Most of the story will flash back to five years after _Flirting with Disaster_, as Brennan tells her granddaughter the story. If you didn't read _Flirting with Disaster, _I recommend you read it, but I'm obviously a little biased. The brief synopsis is that B&B get together post ep5x05 and get married. Brennan gets pregnant shortly before the wedding. During her pregnancy, Rebecca and Parker are in a car accident, and Rebecca is killed. Also, Booth's father resurfaces and becomes a part of their life. Brennan nearly dies giving birth to Natalie, and it is discovered that she has a genetic bleeding disorder inherited from her mother.

Spoilers: Through mid-season 5, just to be safe!

* * *

_**~ The Mother in the Memory ~**_

_**Prologue **_

_March 14, 2061_

_My grandparents' was a great love story - truly something right out of an Audrey Hepburn movie. It wasn't love at first sight, well maybe for Pops. And, well, if it were for Gram, she would never admit it anyway. They'd both been burned by life early on – Grammy by her parents' abandonment and subsequent time in foster care, Pops by his abusive, alcoholic father. What made their marriage magical was that they were truly one another's best friends. They seemingly could have an entire conversation without ever saying a word._

_I always wondered if having such a wonderful example of love and devotion set my mother up for failure in her own brief marriage. My mom told me numerous times that Gram was far from pleased when at twenty; a junior in college, my mom had announced that she was going to marry my father. Gram had told mom that she was too young and couldn't possibly know that she wanted to link herself to someone for the remainder of her life. Pops had managed to soften Gram's objections, and Mom and Dad married the summer between her junior and senior years at Georgetown._

_When Mom learned she was pregnant with me six months after the wedding, Gram renewed her objections, accusing Mom of not being serious about her education. Pops, once again, interceded on his daughter's behalf, but I always got the feeling that things were pretty tense for a while between Mom and Gram._

_Once, during an argument between Mom and I, she said, "You think it's rough having me for a mother; try being Temperance Brennan's daughter!"_

_I am sure that it didn't help matters that, when I was only three years old my parents divorced when Mom discovered that Dad was having an affair with his secretary – what a cliché! So, Mom and I moved back in with Grammy and Pops while she finished her doctorate in physical therapy. Mom and I moved into our own place when I was six, but I've remained very close with Pops and Gram ever since those years I lived under their roof. My relationship with them was sufficient to compensate for the lack of a father. Dad ended up marrying the secretary and having a "new" family with her. I only hear from Dad on my birthday and Christmas. His loss, I figure._

_Two weeks ago was my twenty-eighth birthday. I'm quickly approaching thirty and taking stock of what I have and have not accomplished in my thirty years. Perhaps that is why I have taken to visiting Gram a few times a week. She always has a great story to tell. It's funny, because when I was younger, I don't really remember Gram telling that many stories. Pops was the story teller. When I was little, he used to lift me onto his lap and regale me with one of his and Gram's adventures: when they'd gone undercover in the circus or when Gram had found a girl inside an alligator. As I got older, the tales became more serious: how they'd each rescued each other from a killer nicknamed "the gravedigger" or about how Gram and Great-Grandpa saved him from being tortured and killed. Every story seemed more fantastic than the last, but they were true. Gram swore they were, and she never lies._

_I guess that since Pops died six years ago, Gram decided she needed to keep up the tradition of story telling. We were all somewhat amazed that Gram was able to go on after Pops died. I didn't know if Mom and I were going to survive his loss either, to tell the truth. Ultimately, Gram's strength in the face of losing her husband, her best friend, gave Mom and me the strength to carry on. Gram has always had an excellent ability to "compartmentalize," as she puts it. But, we all knew how much she missed him – still misses him. For a few months after Pops passed, Gram would visit his grave every other day. When Mom asked her if it was healthy to visit so often, Gram simply replied that she was "keeping a promise to Booth". Apparently, Pops, or Booth, as Gram called him, had asked Gram to "spend some time and talk to me every once in a while" when he died. Gram had agreed, although she certainly wasn't the sort of person to visit someone's grave._

_Gram doesn't go visit Pops as often now, especially since the cancer. She was diagnosed with renal cancer four months ago. The offending organ was removed, but the cancer had already spread to her bones. A fractured tibia is what had led Gram to see the doctor in the first place. Now, after much coaxing from Mom, Gram has a caretaker that spends her days with her. Gram usually has a visitor everyday, either Mom, Uncle Parker, one of my cousins, or me. Today, though, she's alone. Her caretaker, Rose, has the day off._

"_Hi, Gram," I said._

"_Hi, Lauren. You didn't have to come again today – not that I don't enjoy your company."_

"_It's no problem. I thought that we could order pizza or something."_

"_That sounds great, sweetheart," Temperance said with a smile, "You just missed Ryan and Rebecca."_

"_Oh, I spoke to Becca on Monday. I guess she told you her big news."_

_Temperance smiled. Becca, Parker's middle child, got engaged over the weekend._

"_Yes, she did. Ryan seems like a very nice young man."_

"_Yeah, he is. I think Uncle Parker is glad he might have a chance for grandkids yet."_

_Temperance laughed, "Yeah, I suppose that Chris and Matt don't seem like they are planning to settle down any time soon. Of course, they are both devoting their lives to great intellectual pursuits, which should please their father."_

_I laughed. Gram never was one to pressure people towards marriage or family. _

"_So, Gram, how about telling me another of your great stories?" I asked, sounding a bit like an eager eight year old._

_Gram smiled, "Hmmm, I suppose your grandfather told you about when I shot him?"_

"_Of course, that was one of his favorites."_

"_Did he ever tell you about when your mother was kidnapped?"_

"_What?!" I exclaimed._

"_Yes, when she was almost five, your mother was kidnapped. It was almost a half of a century ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday."_


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Okay, so this story so far as had a lack luster debut (to say the least!) If you would like me to continue, let me know what you think – good or bad!

* * *

_October 8, 2016_

"I don't think Tempe likes surprises, Dad," Parker commented.

Now fifteen, Parker had dropped the use of his father's moniker for his stepmother a few years ago. He had decided it was weird to call his stepmom by his father's pet name for her. Well, that and Natalie had started calling her mother "Bones" when learning to talk. Booth found it amusing, but Bones didn't share his opinion. Now, Parker called his stepmother "Tempe" or "Mom". Parker couldn't really pinpoint just when he'd started calling Bones "Mom" more than Tempe, but he knew it had to do with Nat. Parker figured it was only a matter of time before Nat asked him why he didn't call her mom "Mom". Parker didn't want to have to tell his little sister that his mom was dead; for fear that she might make the logical leap that this meant _her_ mom could die too. Parker wasn't sure if four year olds thought that way, though Nat wasn't your typical four year old, but he wasn't going to take that risk.

"Oh, well, there are a lot of things Bones didn't like before she met me, Park," Booth said.

Parker made a face, "That's _really_ too much information, Dad."

"Parker! I didn't mean it _that _way. Just help me with this sign."

Parker pulled a chair over to a few feet away from his father, and he grabbed the other end of the sign the Angela had made announcing "Happy 40th Birthday!"

"Is that straight, Ang?" Booth asked.

"Looks good to me."

"Aunt Angie, are Zach and Rory coming soon?" Natalie implored.

"They will be coming with Uncle Jack, sweetie," Angela said, pulling Natalie onto her lap.

Booth and Angela finished decorating, while Parker entertained his little sister, who was getting very antsy.

"Alright, Park, I am going to head back to the house. Bones and I will be back in an hour," kneeling down to Natalie's height, he added, "I will be back soon, princess. Be good for Aunt Ang and Parker."

"I will Daddy!" Natalie said hopping off of Angela's lap and wrapping her arms around her father.

Booth looked a little sad to leave his little girl, but it was his job to get Bones to the party. Bones thought they were going for a nice dinner sans kids.

* * *

"I feel bad asking Ang and Hodgins to watch the kids again," Bones commented.

"Well, they aren't really watching them, more like corralling them. Besides, we watch Rory and Zach all the time."

"True. Those two are quite a handful."

Booth chuckled. Only nine months after giving birth to Zachary James Hodgins, Angela was pregnant again. A year and half to the day after Zachary was born, Aurora Temperance entered the world. Zach, Rory, and Natalie were thick as thieves, and they all adored Parker. Poor Parker often found himself being followed by a band of toddlers.

Booth parked the SUV and managed to send the text he'd typed previously to Angela without Bones noticing. Booth took Brennan's hand firmly in his, and they walked to the back entrance of the restaurant.

"Why are we going in this way?" Bones asked.

"They're renovating," Booth said, simply.

"Oh," Bones said, "Are you sure, it appears to be dark?"

"Yeah, it's fine. They told me when I made the reservation to go in the back," Booth said, as he held the door open for her.

"Okay," Bones said skeptically, "if you say so."

When Angela heard Bren's voice, she flipped the light switch, illuminating the twenty people gathered in the room.

"Surprise!" the crowd shouted.

"Oh!" Bones exclaimed.

"Happy Birthday, sweetheart," Booth said, wrapping an arm around his wife's waist and softly kissing the shell of her ear.

"Did you plan all of this?"

"Yeah, well, Ang helped too."

"I had no idea. I didn't do anything special for your 40th birthday."

"Are you kidding me, Bones? You gave me our little girl on my 40th birthday!"

Bones smiled briefly then said, "I also put you through the harrowing experience of my near death."

"Yeah, well, that's in past. Let's join the party, shall we, Bones?"

"Of course," Bones said, scanning the room.

The usual suspects were present: Angela, Hodgins, Cam, Michelle, Sweets, and a very pregnant Daisy, Max, Russ, Amy, Jared, Padme and Joe. Rory, Natalie, and Zach were chasing one another around the room. Parker was chatting with Hayley, while Emma sat pouting because she hadn't been allowed to bring her boyfriend.

Upon her mother's entrance, Natalie abandoned chasing her friends and ran towards her.

"Happy birthday, mommy!" she said, launching herself into her mother's arms.

"Thank you, sweetheart," Bones said with a smile, wrapping her arms around the little girl.

"You look very pretty, mommy," Natalie said.

"Thank you, you do too baby."

Natalie was wearing a velvety navy blue dress that Booth had picked out for the occasion. When Brennan put the little girl down, she twirled around, the skirt of her dress billowing outwards. Rory ran over to join her friend.

"Happy Birthday, Aunt Bren!"

"Thank you, Rory," Brennan said leaning down to kiss the little girl on the cheek.

Rory and Natalie were both very attractive little girls. Rory was the perfect blend of her parents, with Angela's olive skin and dark hair and Hodgins' piercing blue eyes and curls. Natalie had her mother's auburn hair and her father's brown eyes. Booth had been disappointed when Natalie's eyes had darkened from blue to brown by three months of age. Bones liked that Natalie had her father's warm brown eyes. She loved to see those eyes looking up at her sleepily when she woke her daughter in the morning.

"I can't believe my baby is forty," Max said, kissing his daughter on the cheek.

Brennan rolled her eyes jokingly.

"I'm glad I could be here," Max added.

He was acutely aware that if things had played at differently at various times during the course of her life, he would not have been allowed within five hundred feet of her party. Likely, he wouldn't have been alive if she hadn't gotten him off of murder charges eight years ago.

"Me too, Dad," she replied, placing her hand between his shoulder blades before going to greet Angela.

"Happy Birthday, sweetie. You look great."

"Thank, Ang. You too. Thanks for doing this."

"You're welcome. I wasn't sure if you'd like it, but Booth insisted. So, hey, if you can't beat em, join em, right?"

"I don't know that means."

Angela chuckled. Temperance Brennan might now be Temperance Brennan-Booth, wife, mother of a four year old little girl and stepmother to a fifteen year old boy, but she'd always be Bren to her.

"I better continue saying hello to everyone," Brennan said.

"Sure, sweetie," Angela said with a smile.

Brennan went over to the table where her brother and sister-in-law were sitting. She didn't get to see Russ, Amy, and the girls as much as she'd like since they had moved to Florida two years ago to be closer to Amy's parents. Emma was considering going to George Washington University, which Bones hoped would result in seeing her brother and his family more often.

Booth watched his wife laugh with her brother from the bar and couldn't help but smile. He loved that smile, especially when it resulted from something he'd done.

Angela sidled beside him and gentled rested her palm on her shoulder.

"Jesus, Ang, you scared me," Booth said with a start.

Angela giggled, "I noticed."

Booth took one more look in Bones' direction and smiled.

"Bren and I are very lucky women," Angela commented.

Booth raised his eyebrows.

"After almost five years of marriage, our husbands still look at us like that."

"Like what?" Booth asked, primarily for his own amusement.

"Like there is nothing else you'd rather be looking at," Angela said with a mischievous smile.

"Well, Hodgins and I both have very beautiful wives," Booth replied.

Then, he added, "And there isn't. Never will be."

From across the room, Angela heard her Rory and Zach fighting over something.

"Looks like I need mediate before WWIII breaks out over that cupcake."

Booth chuckled and watched Angela walk off. He grabbed the glass of wine for Bones and joined her. She'd moved on to talking with Sweets and Daisy. Daisy had grown somewhat accustomed to mingling with Brennan socially, but anyone could still see that she was star struck in her presence. Currently, Daisy was informing Brennan that if she and Sweets had a girl that she wanted to name her 'Temperance'. Booth had to hang back from the conversation for a few minutes, so as not to burst into laughter.

At 9:00, Max took Parker, Natalie, Rory, and Zach to their respective homes. A babysitter was waiting for Rory and Zach at the Hodgins house, while Parker would be on babysitting duty for a few hours until his parents returned home. When Max returned from bringing the kids home, Booth asked everyone to raise their glasses in a toast.

"To my wonderful wife on her birthday," Booth began; hoping that Bones wouldn't interrupt to point out that it wasn't _actually_ her birthday yet.

"To another forty years, which of course will be better than the first forty, because we will spend them together," Booth said putting his arm around Bones' waist.

"Here, here!" Angela added.

Bones rolled her eyes then kissed her husband on the cheek whispering, "I am sure they will be."

Booth tried not to read too much into her statement, knowing, of course, that the first forty years of her life had included three in foster care and fifteen not knowing what had become of her parents. Booth knew that the five years that they'd been together had been the best in his life, hands down. He was fairly certain she felt the same way.

* * *

"Thank you for a wonderful evening," Bones said to Booth after stepping out of the SUV.

"Anything for you, my dear," Booth said, taking her hand.

"I hope that Natalie was good for Parker."

"I am sure she was," Booth said, not noticing that Brennan had stopped in her tracks.

"Booth?" Bones said weakly.

"What is it?" Booth said, noting that Brennan's face had gone white.

Bones opened her mouth, but no words came out. Instead, she pointed in the direction of their front door, which was wide open.

Booth didn't respond. Instead, he broke out into a run with Bones close behind him.

"Parker!" Booth shouted.

"Natalie!" Brennan yelled.

They were both met with silence.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed, added an alert, or just read this story so far! Keep the reviews coming, please!

* * *

Two days earlier – October 6, 2016

Brennan leaned over the body that had just arrived at the lab. She and Booth had visited the crime scene this morning. A badly decomposed body has been found in a creek outside Arlington; the body of a girl, age 12-15. Cause of death was a bullet to head, but she'd sustained a significant number of injuries prior to that: fractured ribs, a shattered wrist, and evidence of sexual abuse.

Brennan let out a deep sigh then heard the swipe of an access card and the Booth's footsteps on stairs. After a decade of working together, she knew the exact cadence of Booth's step.

"Hi, babe. Elizabeth called. She was in a car accident."

"Oh, is she okay?" Brennan asked, turning towards her husband.

"Yeah, just a fender bender, but she won't be able to watch Nat today. I can pick her up from preschool, but I have a meeting at 1:30. Do you think she could hang out at the lab until you pick Parker up from school? "

Brennan frowned, "Yeah, I guess so, though this is hardly the place for a little girl."

"Hey, Bones, I couldn't agree with you more. You know everyone loves when Nat visits, though, and she loves seeing her mommy at work," Booth said with a Cheshire cat grin.

"Okay. Maybe, she can stay with Ang for a while. I need to finish my examination of this body."

"Any leads on who she is?"

"No, not yet," Brennan said with a sigh.

"Everything okay?" Booth said placing his palm on the small of her back.

"Yeah, it's just-," Bones said hesitantly, "Although it is completely irrational, I find it difficult to look at the remains of children without thinking about our kids."

Booth smiled a little at Bones calling Parker theirs.

"Yeah, I know. Me too, Bones," he said lightly rubbing circles on her back.

Turning to face him, she said, "I guess you should go get Natalie. She doesn't tolerate tardiness."

Booth laughed, "She's four, Bones."

"Yes, I know. I gave birth to her, as you might recall."

"Yeah, I remember. Okay, I better go," he said, giving her a quick kiss, "Love you."

"I love you too, Booth."

Booth returned a half hour later. Bones was still intent on her work, when Natalie came running into the lab ahead of her father. Her purple Dora the Explorer backpack bounced around as she ran towards her mother.

"Mommy," she shouted before tripping.

Brennan ran down the steps of the forensic platform to her daughter, "Natalie, are you okay?"

The little girl nodded, "It's just a little boo-boo, see," she said, pointed to her skinned knee.

"You need to be more careful, sweetheart."

"Bones, it's just a banged up knee, she's fine. Right, princess?"

"Yeah, daddy."

Booth pressed a gentle kiss to his daughter's knee.

"All better!" Booth said with a smile, and Natalie giggled in response.

"Booth, your kisses don't have special healing properties," Brennan said.

"Oh yeah, you weren't saying that a few night ago," Booth said mischievously.

"Yeah, well that's different," Brennan replied flirtatiously.

Booth winked at her.

"Why don't we see if Aunt Angela has any cool band aids before Daddy leaves for his meeting?" Booth suggested to his daughter.

"Okay."

"Want a ride?" Booth asked with a smile.

"Yeah!" Natalie exclaimed with a giggle.

Booth leaned down, and Natalie hopped on his back, wrapping her small arms around his neck, "Not too tight, sweetheart."

"Give mommy a kiss," he instructed.

Natalie wiggled a little and leaned towards her mother.

"I love you, Mommy," she said as she gave her kiss.

"I love you too, sweetheart. Have fun with Aunt Angela. I see you in a little while."

"Okay, mommy."

"I'll see you tonight at home," Booth said, leaning in to kiss his wife.

Booth let his chaste kiss linger for a moment before pulling back from it.

Clark rued the fact that he'd chosen just that moment to show Dr. Brennan something that Hodgins had found.

"Hi, Uncle Clark!" Natalie exclaimed.

Clark has been officially hired as assistant forensic anthropologist two years ago. Booth had lobbied strongly for Wendell but in the end, supported her decision to hire Clark. The interns, with the exception of Daisy, had scattered to the four winds. Booth kept in touch with Wendell, and the team occasionally heard from Mr. Vaziri. Mr. Nigel-Murray had taken a position somewhere in London, and no one was quite sure what had become of Fisher.

Clark had grown more comfortable with the mingling of personal and professional, if only for survival. Nevertheless, he still did not need to interrupt a kiss between his boss and her husband. He had to admit their kid was cute, though, even if she did insist on calling him "Uncle Clark".

"Hi, Natalie," Clark said with a smile.

"Bye, Bones," Booth said, walking away, Natalie waving.

"Bye, Booth."

"Daddy, why does Mommy get so upset when I fall?"

"She just worries about you a lot, because she loves you so much," Booth replied.

Natalie contorted her face as if deeply considering her father's statement, "So, does that mean that you love me less, because you don't get as upset every time I fall."

Booth laughed, "No, I love you just as much as mommy, but sometimes mommies and daddies worry about different things."

"What kind of things do you worry about daddy?"

Booth hesitated, trying to think of four year old answer that question. He certainly wasn't going to divulge his true fears about any possible bad thing that could happen to his wife or either of his children. Fortunately, Natalie was diverted when she saw her aunt's bright smile.

"Hey there, sweet pea!" Angela said warmly.

"Hi Aunt Angela!" Natalie shouted, practically jumping from father's back.

"Careful there, baby," Booth said with a laugh, "Let daddy lean down first."

"Aunt Angie, do you have a band-aid? I have a boo boo," Natalie said, pointing to her knee.

"Sure, sweetie," Angela said, beginning to root through her purse.

"Ang, can she stay with you for a while, until Bones finishes?"

"Of course. It is always a pleasure to spend time with your young lady," Angela said, winking at Natalie, who giggled in return.

"Thanks, Ang," Booth said, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek.

A half hour later, Brennan walked into Angela's office to find her daughter's hair in two slim braids and her face painted with glittery pink and purple butterflies.

"Wow! You two have been busy!" Brennan said, kneeling down to her daughter's height.

"Don't I look pretty, mommy?"

"Yes, very, sweetheart."

"Ang, the tissue markers are ready for your reconstruction."

"Why don't we go to mommy's office, Natalie?"

"Okay," Natalie said deflated.

"Can you thank you Aunt Angela for painting your face?"

"Thanks Aunt Angie! I love you!"

Angela thought her heart would melt at Natalie's proclamation. Her heart fluttered a little each time Natalie said "Aunt Angela" or some permutation of that. Angela was an only child and Jack, well, he didn't speak to any of his siblings, so Natalie might be the only child to ever call her aunt.

"I love you too, sweetie."

"Thank again, Ang."

"Any time, Bren. I'll get started on the facial reconstruction."

* * *

Two days later – October 8, 2016, 11:22 PM

As Booth and Brennan frantically approached the living room, they heard a muffled sound and rushed into the living room.

"Oh my God, Parker!" Brennan exclaimed at the sight of her stepson blindfolded, gagged, hands bound, and tied to a kitchen chair in the center of the room.

Parker struggled feebly against the binds, while his father removed his gag.

"Parker, Parker! Are you okay?" Booth asked breathlessly as Bones ran up the stairs to find Natalie.

"I had just finished putting Natalie to bed, and I thought I heard the door open. I walked downstairs. Someone covered my mouth -," Parker's account was interrupted by Bones running down the stairs.

"She's gone!" she exclaimed.

"Oh God, he must have taken her!" Parker said, covering his face with his now free hand.

"Who? Who took her? Who did this to you?" Bones demanded.

"I don't know. This man came into the house and held something up to my mouth. I started feeling dizzy, and then, I woke up like this just a few minutes ago."

"This thing he held over your mouth, did it smell sweet?" Bones asked.

"Yes, I guess."

"Chloroform. He needs to get examined by a doctor. Call Charlie and have him send an agent over so we can fill a report."

"Woah, slow down, Bones."

"Slow down! Our daughter is missing!"

"I know, but did you look everywhere? Maybe she is tied up in the closet or something?" Booth said, hopefully, "Maybe it was just a robbery".

"No," Bones said, shaking her head sadly, "I would have heard her. And, I haven't noticed anything missing. Whoever came into our home took her. We need to file a report, get an Amber alert out."

Turning to her stepson, she asked, "Do you remember anything about the man, Parker? Did you hear him break in?"

Parker looked back at his father and bit his lip slightly, "The door wasn't locked. God, I am so sorry!"

"It doesn't matter," Bones said quickly.

Booth pulled his phone out of his pocket and hit the speed dial, "Charlie? Yeah, it was a great party. Look, something's happened. I need someone from missing person's right now."

There was a pause, then Booth said, "No, Natalie."


	4. Chapter 4

Their next two calls were to Angela and Cam. Both women arrived in record time, just after the FBI did. They sat with their friends while they were asked a barrage of questions. Once they were done questioning Parker, Cam, after performing a cursory exam, took him to the hospital, while his parents were still being questioned.

"Have you worked any cases recently involving children?" Agent Malone asked, feeling a bit intimidated that the missing child was the daughter of the famous duo, Special Agent Seeley Booth and Doctor Temperance Brennan.

He's already gone over the "Do you know of anyone who'd want to hurt you or your children?" question, to which Dr. Brennan had replied, "Don't you know who we are? Of course there are people who want to hurt us!"

After that he decided to stay away from the "has she ever run away" question out of fear for his life. He knew that Agent Booth was a legendary shot.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, we are working a case with a child right now. A girl, 12-14 years of age. Her identity hasn't been determined yet," Brennan replied.

"It could be related, but pedo – umm – abductors who take adolescents wouldn't typically be interested in preschoolers as well," said Agent Malone pensively.

"Nonetheless, if the case of the girl in the creek is in any way related to Natalie, identifying her is top priority," Brennan said then turned to the woman seated next to her on the couch, "Ang, I need you to go to the lab right away and work on that facial reconstruction."

Angela looked at her wide-eyed. First off, it was almost midnight. Secondly, it was Saturday! Under any other circumstance, she'd definitely remind Brennan that normal people do not work on weekends or in the middle of the night. But, Angela knew that Brennan would be there, come hell or high water, if something happened to either of her kids.

"Okay. It will probably only take me a few hours to finish the reconstruction and run the image through the NCIC database."

Agent Malone looked at her incredulously, wondering if this was how Brennan and Booth's team worked; they said jump, the others asked how high.

"Thanks, Ang," Brennan said, squeezing her best friend's hand before she got up from the couch.

"Welcome. We're going to find her, Bren," Angela said, embracing her best friend tightly.

Brennan just nodded in reply.

"Is there any places that you go to a lot?"

"We go to the zoo a lot and Marvin Gaye Park. There's the little park on Massachusetts and P Street that Elizabeth, our nanny, goes to. Of course, she spends a lot of at the Jeffersonian and the Hoover."

"Okay, that's helpful. Can I get a list of Natalie's preschool teachers, Nanny, anyone else who takes care of her?" Agent Malone asked.

"Sure," Booth said.

"But, we are going to want to do our own investigative work, as well," Brennan said leaving no room for negotiation.

Agent Malone opened his mouth to speak some words of protest then closed it. He thought of his own eight year old daughter at home. If anything happened to her or his son, and he had the full might of the FBI at his disposal, he would certainly take advantage of it.

"Okay, but just let me know what you find out."

"Thank you," Booth said, knowing that Agent Malone couldn't be pleased about their involvement.

Agent Malone stood up. "I would like to speak to each of you alone. Agent Booth, could we speak in the kitchen?"

"Agent Malone, there isn't anything you can't ask me in front of my wife."

"Agent Booth, it is just standard procedure."

Booth was still an immoveable bulwark on the subject, "Standard procedure," he scoffed.

"All due respect, Agent Malone, but I've said that to suspects and witnesses many times myself. You do not _need_ to speak with Bones and I separately. We are not having any problems in our marriage; neither of us are sleeping with anyone else or have a secret drug habit."

"Okay, I will document that you and Dr. Brennan refused to be questioned separately," Agent Malone said, hoping this wasn't going to be one long power struggle.

Agent Malone peered up the stairs, "It looks like the CSU is almost done."

As if on the cue, the head of the CSU said, "There were some prints on the bedposts, but they appear to Dr. Brennan's, Agent Booth's, or his son's."

Agent Malone nodded, "I think that is all I need for now."

"Thank you," Booth and Brennan said in unison.

"Please call me immediately if you get a ransom call or note," Agent Malone said giving them each a copy of his card.

Agent Malone was fairly certain that this must have something to do with Dr. Brennan's millions. Why else would you kidnap a millionaire's daughter?

"We will."

Within five minutes, Agent Malone and the CSU cleared out, leaving Booth and Brennan alone for the first time since they learned Natalie was missing.

Booth wrapped his arms around Bones, "We are going to find her, baby."

Bones nodded, "We will."

Booth squeezed her a little tighter. He thought, or maybe hoped, that she would cry. Booth knew her well enough to know that she was going to put on her brave face, while she was falling apart inside.

Booth brushed a stray hair from her face, "Malone thinks it's a kidnap for ransom."

"Did he tell you that while I was in the bathroom?" Brennan asked, looking up him, her blue eyes filled with sadness.

"No, I just -."

"Your gut?" Brennan said with a slight smile.

"Yeah. He figures that whoever took her did it for the money."

"Why not take Parker too then? Maybe we'd pay more for both kids," Bones said sarcastically.

Booth frowned. He had an idea why the kidnapper didn't take Parker, and it was one that he knew would upset his wife. He could lie, citing that at 5'10 and 170 lbs, Parker would be much more difficult to move discreetly. But Booth couldn't lie to Bones.

"Maybe, whoever took Nat knew that Parker wasn't yours – biologically," Booth said hesitantly.

Bones looked at him wide-eyed and said resolutely, "I might not have given birth to him, but Parker is my son. I go to his parent-teacher conferences, helped him get ready for his first date, kissed his goodnight until he said he was too old for that, I-."

"I know Bones, and Parker knows that too. Why do you think he calls you 'Mom'?"

"We should get to the hospital," Bones said softly.

Booth nodded, "Sure."

* * *

October 9, 2010, 2:45 AM

They'd relieved Cam of her ER duties over an hour ago, but they were still stuck in the ER waiting room. It was flu season, and the waiting room was packed with coughing kids. When they arrived around 1:30, they'd spent some time bringing Parker up to speed on what happened with Agent Malone. Then, they'd spent _a lot_ of time trying to convince Parker that it wasn't his fault, telling him that if someone wanted to take Natalie, they'd have found another opportunity. Parker didn't seem altogether convinced, but after a while, exhaustion took over and he fell asleep with his head propped on Brennan's shoulder. Much to Booth's surprise, Brennan followed suit about 15 minutes later.

Bones was seemingly fast asleep when Booth heard her phone ring. So as not to wake her, he quickly extracted her cell phone from her jacket pocket. The screen read "Angela".

"Hi Ang," Booth said quietly.

"_Oh. Hi, Booth. Is Bren there?"_

"She's asleep. We're with Parker in the ER. Still waiting."

"_Well, I just wanted to let her know that I got a hit on my sketch."_

"Oh, great. Who is she?"

"_Emma Barlow. She would have turned 14 a week ago," Angela said sadly._

_Angela hesitated then said, "She lived in The Capitol Park Plaza apartments. Apartment 3C."_

"Yeah, I know the place. Not the nicest. Should that mean something to me?" Booth asked.

"_Emma lived three doors down from where Bren lived when she first moved to D.C."_

Booth paused, trying to suppress his astonishment that Bones had lived in that dump.

"It's a big complex, probably just a coincidence."

"_Booth, Emma was a foster kid."_


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Sorry that it took me almost a week to get this update to you! FYI – the next chapter will be rated "M".

* * *

Booth took a minute to digest this information. He supposed that deep down he'd always suspected that this was about Bones. Booth had known since they'd found Parker tied up, and Natalie was no where in sight.

"_Booth?"_

"Yeah, sorry just -. I'll let Bren know. I should go. I don't want to wake her and Parker up."

"_Sure, Booth. Booth?"_

"Yeah, Ang?"

"_We're going to find her"_

"I know, Ang, but thanks. We appreciate your support."

"_Any time, G-man. Tell Bren I love her."_

"I will, Ang. Bye."

After pressing end, Booth looked over at his sleeping wife and son. God, he didn't know how to tell her about this. He was suddenly transported back to the moment when he'd had to tell Bones that her parents weren't who she thought they were, that she wasn't who she thought _she_ was. But this felt a thousand times more difficult. He remembered how frazzled she'd been during the copy cat murders after the release of her second book, refusing to acknowledge the connection. How had almost a decade changed her?

Booth's thoughts were interrupted by a drowsy voice asking, "Was that Ang?"

"Yeah, it was," Booth replied draping his arm around her.

"Did she find out who the girl in the creek was?"

Booth hesitated, "Yes. Emma Barlow. She was thirteen."

Brennan nodded somberly, "We'll have to meet with her parents tomorrow."

Booth cleared his throat, "There's something else. She lived in city, the Capitol Park Plaza apartments."

Bones blinked widely, "I lived there. Fifteen years ago."

"I know, Ang told me. Bones," Booth began looking into his wife's eyes, "she was a foster child."

"She was in the system?" Bones said, the words catching in her throat.

"Yeah," Booth said taking her hand and bringing her pale knuckles to his lips.

Bones pulled her hand away slowly, "That can't be a coincidence. This is about me."

"We don't know that for sure," Booth said.

"We'll go to her foster home first thing tomorrow," Brennan said resolutely.

Booth thought he could almost hear her mind working, hear her compartmentalizing, pushing her feelings of guilt and fear into a corner of her mind.

"Parker Booth!" a nurse called.

"Right here!" Brennan replied.

Booth shook his son lightly, "Time to go in, Parks."

"What?" he asked disoriented.

"The nurse called us back."

Parker looked around, and Booth saw the realization of where he was and what had happened hit him. It reminded Booth of five years ago, the morning after Rebecca died.

Parker stood up and Booth put his hand on his son's shoulder, "It's going to be okay."

Parker nodded, and Booth just hoped that what he'd said was true.

* * *

October 9, 2016, 8:00 AM

Booth, Brennan, and Parker had walked out of the ER half an hour ago. At his parents' behest, Parker had gone right to sleep. The ER doctors had cleared Parker medically and given Booth and Bones a list of symptoms to be on alert for.

"He's out like a light," Booth said, emerging from Parker's room.

He noticed that Brennan had her coat on and bag in hand.

"Where are you going?"

"I am going to talk to Elizabeth, see if she's noticed anyone hanging around Natalie recently."

Booth walked towards her and took her hand, "Sweetheart, it's eight in the morning on a Saturday."

"I don't care. I can't just sit here and wait for Agent Malone to call. You know how important the first 48 hours are in finding missing children."

"I know, baby. Let me call Agent Malone at least, see if he has been in touch with Elizabeth."

"Okay," Bones conceded.

After a brief conversation with Agent Malone, Booth shared the update with his wife.

"Agent Malone has been in touch with Natalie's teacher. He said that Mrs. Geller hadn't noticed anyone hanging around or speaking with Nat. He also spoke to the classroom aides. None of them have noticed anything suspicious either," Booth said crestfallen.

"And Elizabeth?"

"She hasn't noticed anything, either. I told Agent Malone about Emma Barlow. He thinks that is probably our best lead. I was thinking we could call Cam or Ang to stay here while Parker sleeps. Then, we could speak to Emma's foster parents."

"That's a great idea. I will give Ang a call."

Twenty-five minutes later, Hodgins arrived with the most recent copy of the _American Journal of Entomology_ in hand_._

"Hi Booth, Dr. B."

"Hodgins, thanks for coming," Brennan said.

"Parker will probably be asleep for quite a while," Booth added.

Within minutes, Booth and Brennan were out of the house and into the SUV. It took about fifteen minutes for them to get to the Capital Park Plaza Apartments. They waited in their car for Agent Malone to arrive, as he'd requested to be present when they questioned Emma's foster parents, Mr. and Mrs. Powell.

"How long did you live here?" Booth asked his wife.

"Only a year, in 2002-2003. I moved once my lease was up."

Booth nodded, "How are you holding up?" he asked, placing his palm gently on her shoulder.

"Fine, Booth. There's Malone," Brennan answered hastily.

Booth sighed an opened his door.

"Agent Booth, Dr. Brennan. I'm sorry I don't have more news for you."

They both nodded, and the three of them walked into the apartment complex. After a silent elevator ride, Booth knocked on the door of apartment 3C.

A tall African American woman, who appeared to be around fifty years of age, opened the door, "May I help you?"

"Good morning, ma'am. My name is Special Agent Seeley Booth of the FBI. This is Agent Malone and Dr. Temperance Brennan."

"Hello. Does this have to do with Emma?" she asked.

"Yes," Booth said, nodding soberly.

"Please come in," she replied.

Booth, Malone, and Brennan followed her into the small living room. The room was filled with photos of the Powells and several children. There was one photo of Emma with the Powells and another African American child, a girl around age 12, and two young adults. As the only Caucasian in the photo, Emma stuck out like a sore thumb, but based on the smile on her face, she didn't seem to mind.

After they sat down on the couch, Booth began, "Mrs. Powell, I am afraid that we found a body in a creek, outside Arlington."

"Oh God!" Mrs. Powell exclaimed, tears forming in her eyes.

Booth handed Mrs. Powell a copy of Angela's sketch, "Does this look like Emma?"

"Yes," Mrs. Powell said, squeezing her eyes tightly.

"I'm very sorry," Brennan said, "How long had Emma been with you and your family?"

"Emma was placed with us two years ago. We just signed a long term foster care agreement for Emma," Mrs. Powell said with a sob.

"Long term foster care agreement?" Booth whispered to Brennan.

"It's a nonbinding agreement that says that the Powells will keep Emma until she ages out of the system."

Handing Mrs. Powell a tissue, Brennan said, "It sounds like Emma was very happy here."

Mrs. Powell nodded, "I think so. She was such a sweet girl. It took a while for her to open up to my husband and I, but once she did, she really blossomed."

Booth nodded, "Mrs. Powell, how long had Emma been in the system before coming to live with you?"

"Please call me Connie. Emma was put into the system at age 7 when her mother died of leukemia. Her father was incarcerated. Although he's never made any sincere efforts to get Emma back, his parental rights have not been terminated."

Brennan shook her head vigorously. Booth placed a hand on her knee, sensing that she might launch into a diatribe about the inequity of the system.

"Can you tell me about the day that Emma disappeared?" Malone asked.

Connie nodded, "Well, usually she and Ciana, that's our other foster child, usually walk home from school today. Ciana is 12. Except that day, Emma had cross country practice. Usually, she is home by 5:30 from practice. When she wasn't home by 6:30, I called the coach, Mrs. Winkler, and she said that Emma had left at five o'clock with the other girls. We called the cops and reported her missing."

"We're very sorry for your loss," Agen Malone said.

The two agents proceeded to get a list of Emma's friends, teachers, and coaches. They didn't expect anything fruitful to come from questioning them, as missing persons had already explored this angle three weeks ago when Emma disappeared.

When Booth and Malone were done asking about Emma, Bones pulled out a photo of Natalie. It was a photo taken a few weeks ago of Natalie on the swings in their backyard.

"Have you ever seen this girl?" Brennan asked hopefully.

Connie took the photo and studied it, "No, I don't think so."

As she was about to give Brennan that photo back, she exclaimed, "I thought you looked familiar!"

"You are that scientist and mystery writer and her FBI husband. This is your daughter. I saw her photo on the morning news."

"Yes, she's been missing for about twelve hours."

Connie crossed her arms, "So you didn't really care about Emma. You just think her murder might be related to your little girl. Typical."

"No!" Brennan stood up in protest, "I care very much about Emma. I was in foster care, and I know what the system in like. She was lucky to have such a wonderful foster family."

Brennan proceeded to briefly explain the tenuously connection between Emma and Natalie. Silence hung between the four adults for several minutes. It was broken by a child's voice.

"Mrs. Powell, is everything okay?" the young African American girl from the photo, presumably Ciana, asked.

"These people are here about Emma."

With those words, Ciana took a seat next to her foster mother. Booth could tell that this girl knew she was about to receive terrible news. The thought of how both of these girls – and his wife for that matter – lived or had lived in a world where bad news and disappointment were the rule saddened Booth.

Connie glanced quickly at Brennan then proceeded to tell Ciana what she'd just learned about Emma. Ciana's eye clouded with tears, and she just shook her head.

After asking Ciana a few questions about the day of Emma's disappearance and any suspicious people hanging around either her or Emma, the trio prepared to leave.

"Dr. Brennan, may I see that photograph again?" Connie asked.

Brennan handed her the photo of Natalie.

"Ciana, have you ever seen this little girl?"

Ciana studied the photo long enough to give Booth and Brennan a flicker of hope before saying, "No, I haven't."

Ciana handed the photo to Dr. Brennan, her big brown eyes meeting Brennan's blue ones.

"Is this your little girl?"

"Yes, she is missing."

"I hope you find her," Ciana said before returning to her bedroom.

"My husband should be home in about an hour if you'd like to speak with him," Connie said as she ushered the trio towards the door.

"Thank you, we will. We appreciate all of your help," Booth said.

"When will we be able to have her – to bury her?"

"Once the investigation is complete."

As they were about to walk out the door, Connie put her hand on Brennan's shoulder, "I am sorry that I assumed you were only interested in Emma because of your daughter. I hope you find her."

"It's okay. You're right. No one cares about kids in system, not the way they would if she had doting parents crying for the media."

* * *

Booth, Brennan, and Malone had spent the remainder of the day talking to Emma's friends, cross country coach, and neighbors. No one seemed to have any pertinent information about Emma's murder, and they'd only seen Natalie on the news. Brennan's old apartment was vacant with no evidence that anyone had been there in several months. At four o'clock, Malone headed back to the office to sort through the "tips" that had come in after Emma's photo was on the news. Brennan and Booth went home.

When they returned home, Hodgins and Parker were playing Mario kart on Parker's Wii. After Booth poked fun at Hodgins for enjoying video games more than his 15 year old son and thanked him for staying with Parker, Hodgins returned home to his wife and kids.

* * *

October 10th, 1 AM

Booth looked over at his clock radio. One in the morning and Bones still hadn't come to bed - not that he was exactly sleeping either. Booth swung his legs over the edge of the bed and headed downstairs.

He wasn't surprised to find Bones in the office, files spread out on the desk in front of her. Currently, Brennan was pouring over Emma's Children and Family Services file. Booth halted in the doorway. Bones didn't notice his entrance until he leaned down to gently kiss the top of her head.

"Bones, you need to get some sleep. You haven't slept for more than forty-five minutes in almost 48 hours."

"No, I need to keep looking. There must be something in her file, but I haven't found anything. Natalie's, Parker's, nor ours intersect with Emma's in any way that I can find."

"We are going to figure it out, Bones, but you need to get some sleep," Booth insisted.

"No, I already figured it out. It's about _me_. Whoever did this took Natalie because she is _my_ daughter."

"We don't know that, Bones," Booth said, his voice lacking conviction.

"Yes, we do," she replied emphatically, "it cannot be a coincidence that Emma's body was discovered two days before Natalie was abducted, that Emma was a foster child who lived three doors down from my first apartment in D.C."

Booth moved to about a foot away from Brennan, tracing her jawline with the tips of his fingers. He was searching his mind for words of comfort. If the situation were reversed, he knew that Bones would emphasize the lack of evidence for her espoused theory.

Booth was about to remind her that there was no concrete evidence that Natalie and Emma were linked when, her gaze fixed on a spot on the wall away from him, Bones said, "This is why we never should have crossed the line."


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Okay, so I am realllly hoping for more reviews this chapter! Pretty, pretty, please! Anyway, this chapter is rated "M"ish, and pretty intense, I might add.

* * *

"The line?" Booth asked.

"After Epps poisoned Cam, you said people who work in high risk situations; they can't be involved romantically – that there was a line that can't be crossed," Bones said, still not meeting his eye.

"I know what you mean, Bones, but we are so far away from that goddamn line that was can't even see it."

"We put our child – our children –in jeopardy, Booth. That's unacceptable."

"And if we hadn't crossed the line, we wouldn't have Natalie, and Parker would just be your partner's son."

"Maybe that would have been better," Bones said, her voice lacking conviction.

Placing his hands firmly on her shoulders, Booth said, "Are you wishing all of this never happened?"

He gestured towards the photos of their family on the wall, as if they were a microcosm of their life together.

When she didn't respond, Booth shook her slightly, "Is that what you're saying Temperance?"

"No," she said quietly, the tears that she'd been keeping at bay for the last twenty –four hours beginning to stream down her face.

Booth held her to him tightly and whispered, "Head and heart, Bones. Today, you're allowed be Natalie's mom, not Dr. Brennan right now."

"I just feel so helpless," Bones said through her tears.

Booth gently ran his fingers through her hair, "I know, baby."

"I don't know if she's hurt or scared or-," Bones words were no longer audible through her sobs.

She clutched the collar of his tee shirt as he pulled her closer.

"We'll find her, Bones."

"What if we don't?" she asked, looking up at her with tear filled eyes.

"Of course, we will. That's what we do."

"No, I identify people after they've been burned or drowned, and then we bring them to justice. We don't finding missing people – not before they end up on an autopsy table."

Booth knew she was right, with the rare exception, like Helen Majors and Megan Shaw, they didn't find people alive.

"We will. We have to," Booth said tearing filling his eyes.

He couldn't allow himself to acknowledge that the almost five years they'd had with their daughter were all they might get, let alone what might be done to her before then. While he pushed these thoughts into the recesses of his mind, Bones held him tightly, her tears wetting his shirt.

"Shh, we're going to get through this, baby."

He held on to her as tears racked her body, her legs threatening to give out beneath her. Booth gently led her to the couch and held her on his lap. Her arms encircled Booth's neck as she rested her head on his shoulder. Booth caressed her soft cheek and kissed her gently on the forehead. With Booth's kiss, Brennan looked up at him, seeing her sadness reflected in his eyes.

She pressed her lips firmly to his. He returned her kiss, pulled her closer to his chest. Her kiss always managed to undo him. He loved the way she tasted, how she suckled slightly on his lower lip, and how their tongues mingled in his mouth. More than ever, they both needed to get lost in their kiss. Booth gently laid her on the couch, cradling her head in hands.

Booth kissed her passionately; she returned his kiss, her tongue battling with his for dominance. She tucked her hands beneath his tee shirt. They seemed to snake up his torso of their own volition then pull his shirt over his head. His fingers deftly unbuttoned her blouse as he placed tender kisses from the hollow of her throat to the valley of her breasts.

As he cupped her breasts, Booth was reminded of when he'd awaken to find Brennan breast feeding Natalie. Booth thought the sight of Natalie's small mouth at his wife's breast was possibly one of the most beautiful his eyes had ever beheld. As he covered her breast with his mouth, Booth banished thoughts of any thing other than the present moment.

"Booth," Brennan moaned.

He looked up into her beautiful blue eyes, "I love you so much, baby."

"I love you, too," she said threading her fingers through his hair as his soft kisses tickled her stomach.

Booth lowered the zipper and shimmied her pants over her hips, exposing her taut stomach.

"You're so beautiful," he said, running his thumb and forefinger along the waistband of her panties before removing the last stitch of clothing from her body.

He looked at her, his filled with adoration. Booth knew every inch of her but the sight of her laid bare before his always took his breath away. He made it his mission to - for a least these moments - make her forget the nightmare they'd been living for the last twenty-four hours. As he moved inside her, he whispered how much he loved her into her ear. When his name crossed her lips at the peak of her pleasure, he allowed himself to let go and spilled himself inside her.

As Booth collapsed and fell beside her, he heard Brennan let out a strangled sob. He pulled her close to him once more, raking his fingers through her hair.

"Let it out, baby. It's okay to let it out, Bones," he assured.

She nodded, resting her head against his bare chest.

"I'm so scared for her," she said looking up at him with reddened eyes.

"Me too," Booth confessed.

He gently rubbed her back until Bones surrendered to her emotional and physical exhaustion. He pulled the blanket up around them and fell asleep with her in is arms.

Booth awoke when the regulator clock chimed four. After orienting to the fact that he and Bones had fallen asleep on the couch after making love, he became acutely aware that he was wearing only his boxers and Bones nothing at all. He hated to wake her knowing how desperately she needed sleep, but he couldn't risk Parker happening upon them in their current state

Booth managed to extricate himself from her sleeping embrace without waking her. He wrapped the blanket around her like a cocoon. As Booth bent to scoop her from the couch, she awoke.

"Booth? What are you doing?" she asked groggily.

"Shh, go back to sleep. Let me carry you upstairs."

Booth interpreted his wife's eyes fluttering closed as consent. He scooped her from the couch and she draped an arm around his neck as he carried her to their bedroom. After laying her down on the bed, he tucked her in like he'd done many time before when she'd fallen asleep writing, reading, or working. After kissing her softly on the forehead, he slid into the other side of the bed.

Brennan awoke to her alarm at six o'clock, puzzled at finding herself naked in her bed. It took her mind a moment to catalogue the events of the last night. Then, the realization that Natalie had been missing for nearly thirty-two hours hit her, and she sprung out of bed.

She readied for the day in near silence as Booth slept. After getting dressed, she scooped up the files she'd been studying last night and stuffed them in her bag. Setting her bag down at the doorway, she went back upstairs and into the bedroom.

"Bye, Booth. I will see you later today," she said kissing on the forehead.

"Where are you going?" he asked groggily.

"Work."

Brennan answered the quizzical look on his face by saying, "It's almost seven. I will wake Parker on my way out."

Booth nodded, "I'll see you for lunch."

"Sure, love you," she said, kissing his again and trailing her fingertips along the stubble of his cheek.

"Love you too, Bones."

* * *

October 10, 2016, 9:45 AM

When Booth arrived at the Hoover, he'd had a message from Malone asking that Booth, Brennan, and he meet at 11 to discuss the case. Booth returned his call agreeing to the meeting, but barking that he didn't see why a meeting was necessary. Booth and Brennan both knew there were few, if any, leads in the case.

Brennan bided her time studying Emma's body, hoping to find something she'd missed. It all seemed pretty straight forward – the cause of the death was a single gunshot wound to the forehead. The bullet was from a Colt .45. After two hours of re-examining the remains, Bones returned to her mission from the previous night of finding something – anything – in Emma's CFS file.

"Dr. Brennan?" a voice said, accompanying a tentative knock.

She looked up from her work to see Clark.

"Dr. Edison?"

"I just – um – wanted to say that if there is anything – anything at all that I can do, please let me know," he said, approaching her slowly.

Bones nodded then looked at the photo of Natalie on her desk. The photo was almost a year old, but it was one of her favorites. Natalie was sitting on Booth's lap, both of them wearing cheesy grins. Tears welled up in her eyes.

"Thank you, Clark," she said brushing away her tears.

It struck Brennan at that moment that Clark had now been present for some of the most difficult times in her family's history: her father's murder trial and now her daughter's disappearance.

Clark gently took Brennan's hand that was resting on her desk, "You'll find her."

Brennan squeezed his hand a little before saying, "I hope so."

A moment after Clark exited, Angela entered.

"Wow, you and Clark really just had a moment there," she said, trying to keep the mood as light as possible.

Brennan chuckled slightly.

"Here's the mail. That kid in the mail room seems to think my job title as forensic artist involves distributing the mail to everyone in the lab."

"Thanks, Ang," Brennan said, beginning to the sort through the pile of primarily inner office mail.

At the bottom of the stack, there was a padded envelope with her name and the Jeffersonian's address typed on a white label. She cut the envelope open and dumped out it contents: a letter wrapped around a cylindrical object held in place by a rubber band.

Pulling on a pair of gloves, Brennan rolled the rubber band off. The note uncurled revealing an object that produced a visceral scream.

Angela, who was walking up the steps of the forensic platform, ran towards her friend's office.

"What is it, sweetie?" Angela asked, noting her friend's unusual pallor.

Brennan pointed to the object on her desk, "Someone sent me a severed finger in the mail."


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter to you! Oh, and happy Bonesday! Finally!

This chapter is rated "M"ish, and also pretty intense.

* * *

"It is -," Angela asked, the color draining from her face.

"No, it's too large to be hers. Whoever this belonged to was older than Natalie," she said examining the object and breathing a sigh of relief.

"Belonged?" Angela asked, noting the past tense.

"Yes, the finger was disarticulated post-mortem."

Summoned by Brennan's scream, Cam and Hodgins walked briskly into the room, "What happened?"

"Someone sent Brennan a finger in the mail. It's not Natalie's."

"A finger?" Cam asked, wide-eyed, "Was there anything else?"

"Yes, there's a note."

"What does it say?" Hodgins asked.

"I didn't read it yet," Brennan said uncurling the piece of paper.

"Well…" Cam said.

"Oh," and Brennan began to read.

_Temperance –_

_Meet me at Garfield Park at 11 PM on Tuesday, October 11__th__ with one million dollars in non-consecutive bills. Come alone and unarmed, if you ever want to see your little girl again, T._

"T?" Angela asked.

Brennan's throat dried. 'T' only one person had ever called her that.

"I know who has Natalie."

"What?" Booth said, running in from the hallway at the sound of Hodgins and Cam's distressed voices.

Brennan recounted her receipt of the finger, particularly how it did not belong to Natalie.

"And there was a note," Angela added.

Bones handed Booth the note.

"Who called you 'T'?"

"Steven Ross. I lived with his family for nine months when I was 16."

All eyes were on Brennan, searching for further explanation.

"Cam, you should see if you can get a print off the finger?"

"Sure, Dr. Brennan," Cam replied, knowing better than to attempt to refocus Temperance Brennan.

"Can we have a few minutes, guys?" Booth asked.

"Of course," Cam said, ushering Angela and Hodgins out of the room.

Once they had left, Booth asked, "Was that the family that locked you in the trunk?"

"No,"

Booth breathed a momentary sigh of relief then he saw the look on his wife's face.

"What did he do to you?" he asked sitting down on the couch and motioning for her to do the same.

"He, um, sexually abused me and the other foster child in the home."

Booth's eyes widened and he took her hand. He didn't know where to begin.

"I reported him to the police. He spent twelve years in jail for multiple counts of sexual abuse. I testified at his parole hearing fifteen years ago."

"So, this is revenge?"

Brennan nodded, her eyes tearing up.

"We need to bring this note to tell Malone," Booth said, standing up.

"I need to find out whose finger that was and see if there are any prints on the note."

"Bones, Cam is doing that, and why don't we let Malone look at the note? Come with me. I don't want you to be alone right now"

"No, I need to find out whose finger Steven sent me, and I need to liquidate some assets."

"Bones, we are going to find her – no ransom or putting you in danger."

"Booth, please just go tell Malone," she said, her eyes pleading.

Booth let out a sigh, "Okay. I love you," and wrapped her in an embrace.

"I love you too."

* * *

October, 10, 2016, 10:30 AM

"Agent Booth, you're early," Agent Malone said to the agent who walked briskly into his office.

"My wife received this," he said handing him the note, "and a finger in the mail."

"Based on your nonchalance about the finger, I am going to assume that Dr. Brennan determined that it wasn't your daughter's.

"Yes, but in the note, the kidnapper refers to her as 'T'. Bones said that only one person has ever called her that – one of her foster parents, Steven Ross."

A glimmer of recognition crossed Agent Malone's face, and it occurred to Booth that this man knew what had happened to Bones.

"Okay, I will look into him. I assume that Dr. Brennan is trying to determine the origin of the finger?"

"Yes," Booth hesitated, "I want to see my wife's CFS file, and the file from the Ross case."

Agent Malone ran his fingers through his hair pensively, "Maybe you should talk to your wife first."

"Give me the damn files, Malone. I know that you must have had them couriered from Illinois," Booth growled.

Malone sighed and pulled two files from the large pile on his desk.

Booth stormed out of the office and immediately opened his wife's CFS file. It was arranged from oldest to newest, beginning with her first placement after her parents and Russ left. It appeared that her first caseworker hardly came to visit in the two months that she lived with her first foster family, the Westermans. Perhaps if her caseworker had visited more often, Bones wouldn't have been subject to being slapped around and locked in a trunk for two days. Beneath the scarce progress notes, there were photos that made Booth cringe – bruises on her wrists, hands, and legs from trying to break out of the trunk.

Allegedly, there was an investigation and the foster home was closed. Booth made a note to see if the Westermans were ever changed with child abuse. After that, Bones' case was transferred to a new caseworker, Lisa Wilcox, was much more meticulous. Lisa placed Brennan with the Grays. Booth recognized the name a conversation with Bones from several years ago. This was the family who had wanted to adopt Bones.

Booth read through Lisa's progress notes detailing Bones' life with the Grays. It was a virtual chronicle of Bones walling herself off from the world.

_March 2, 1992: Temperance is adjusting well to her new home and school. She has expressed concern over changing schools once again. She inquired about the progress of the investigation into her parents' disappearance. I told her would find out and let her know during my next visit. I suggested that she consider speaking to a therapist about all that she had been through in the last several months. She said that speaking with me was "satisfactory."_

_April 15, 1992: I took Temperance to the mall to purchase an anthropology book that she saved her allowance for. Temperance told me she would like to major in anthropology in college. Temperance no longer asks about her parents. Mrs. Gray said she sometimes hears Temperance crying in her bedroom. Whenever Mrs. Gray tries to speak to Temperance, she says she is fine and was not crying._

_May 29, 1992: I informed Temperance that since there are no leads on her parents' case, her parents' rights were being terminated. Temperance took this news better than expected. However, when I told her that Mr. and Mrs. Gray were interested in adopting her, she made it quite clear that she had no interest in being adopted._

_June 15, 1992: The Grays report that Temperance refuses to participate in activities with the other family members and has become increasingly withdrawn. _

It appeared that a month after that Bones was moved to another foster home, where she only stayed for five months before the foster parents "gave notice" that they wanted her out, stating they found her creepy, always reading books about dead people. After that, she was placed with Steven and Donna Ross. From the progress notes, it seemed that Bones got along well with the Ross's. There was no indication to the contrary until Brennan walked into the Deerfield police station.

As if it would somehow soften the blow of learning what had been done to the love of his life, Booth chose to read Bones' history in chronological order. As such, he now opened the hefty file on the Ross investigation. One of the first parts of the file contained the initial interviews with Bones and another foster child, Sarah.

_September 18, 1993_

_As Detective McGowan sat down at his desk first thing in morning, he noticed, out of the corner of his eye, two girls walk into the station: one tall and lanky, another much shorter, who appeared a few years younger._

"_Excuse me," the tall, lanky girl said, reading the name plate on his desk, "Detective McGowan, I am need to report a rape."_

_The tall, lanky girl pulled the smaller girl forward, "This is Sarah Elliot, she was raped by our foster father," she said, saying the last word with disgust._

"_And you are?" Detective McGowan asked._

"_Temperance Brennan."_

"_Temperance, why don't we go somewhere to talk? Sarah, do you think you can go with my colleague here, Detective Gonzalez?" McGowan asked, gesturing towards the female detective._

"_I would prefer to stay with Sarah," Temperance said, crossing her arms._

"_After we speak, you can rejoin Sarah, okay?" McGowan coaxed._

"_Okay, fine. Don't take her to the hospital to do a rape kit without me," Temperance instructed Detective Gonzalez._

_Detective Gonzalez glanced at McGowan, a bit amused by being bossed around by this teenager, "Sure."_

_Temperance whispered something in Sarah's ear, and she nodded in return. McGowan then led Temperance into an interrogation room._

"_Can I get you a soda or something? A cup of tea or coffee? We might have some donuts hanging around," he offered._

"_No, I am fine, thank you."_

_McGowan sized up this girl – young woman, really – in front of him who clearly wanted to get down to business. Although his first impression had been that she was tall, lanky, certain to have towered over her peers for several years now, and a bit plain, McGowan noted that she had the most striking eyes. She'd likely grow into her looks in a few years._

"_Okay, so you are in foster care?"_

"_Yes, hence my saying that Sarah was raped by my foster father."_

"_Right, and your foster father, has he hurt you as well, Temperance?"_

"_Yes," she replied simply._

"_Had you ever informed anyone of this?" McGowan asked._

"_No," she replied, shortly._

"_How long have your lived with this family? I don't believe you told me their name."_

"_Steven Ross. I have lived with him and his wife, Donna, for almost eight months."_

"_When did they first start hurting you?"_

"_Him – she never hurt, and I am here about Sarah, not myself."_

"_I understand, and your concern for her is admirable. But, I am also concerned about you. How old are you, Temperance?"_

"_I am sixteen. I will turn seventeen in three weeks."_

"_You are a junior in high school?"_

"_A senior. My parents sent me to kindergarten at four. I was a precocious toddler."_

_Detective McGowan chuckled, "I am sensing that that trend has continued."_

_Temperance looked at him curiously._

"_Anyway, how long has Sarah lived with you and the Rosses?"_

"_Almost three months."_

"_And how do you know that Sarah was raped?"_

"_I walked in on Steven holding her down and forcing her to have sex with him," she stated as if he'd perhaps asked her what color the sky was._

_Slightly disturbed by her nonchalance, he said, "I am sorry, that must have been very upsetting for you to witness."_

"_Yes, but not as upsetting as the first time."_

"_So, this happened before."_

"_Yes, twice before. I told Sarah that she had to report it, that he'd only do it again. Finally, this last time, she agreed."_

"_Temperance," McGowan asked softly, "has Mr. Ross raped you?"_

"_No."_

"_But, he's hurt you?"_

"_Yes," she said, pulling up her sleeves revealing angry bruises around her wrists._

"_What happened?"_

"_I tried to pull him off of Sarah. He grabbed my wrists then threw me against the wall."_

"_But he's hurt you before," McGowan said._

"_Yes, and you don't have to keep saying "hurt" as if I am an eight year old.."_

"_Sorry, when did he first umm – when did the abuse start?" _

"_May 23__rd__."_

_Wow, she knew the exact date, McGowan thought._

"_What did he do, Temperance?"_

_She looked down at the table for a moment._

"_I know this must be difficult for you, Temperance. If you'd prefer to speak with a woman -," McGowan began before she interrupted him._

"_No, you seem more than capable. Mr. Ross – Steven, he had told me to call him Steven a month or so before that – came into my bedroom that night. Mrs. Ross was working; she works nights. He told me that I looked pretty in my nightgown, but that I shouldn't tempt him like that. It wasn't particularly revealing. It was just a sleeveless nightgown."_

"_It wasn't about what you were wearing, Temperance. It wasn't your fault."_

_She continued, acknowledging his statement with a nod, "He ran his hand down my body. When he put his hand up my nightgown, I pushed him away and tried to get out of my room. He blocked the door and wrapped his hand around my neck. Then, he told me to take off my nightgown. When I didn't right away, he said that nobody would miss me if I was gone."_

_Her eyes fell to the table, and Detective McGowan suspected she was fighting back tears._

"_Temperance," he said, pushing a box of tissues towards her, "it's okay to-."_

_Cutting him off, she said, "So, I took off my nightgown, and he touched me."_

_McGowan nodded, and really wished that he worked somewhere large enough to have a special victims unit. He really was not well versed in talking to sexual abuse victims, particularly sixteen year old ones._

"_Temperance, I need to know where he touched you. If you want to speak with someone else about this, I'll understand."_

"_I said you were fine. He touched my breasts and put his hand inside my underwear. Then, he told me that I was a bad girl for making him do that and left."_

_McGowan nodded, "Did he do this every night?"_

"_No, only when Mrs. Ross was working – she's nurse and works three – 12 hours shifts on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 7 PM – 7AM."_

"_He molested you three times a week for almost four months?" McGowan asked trying to hide his disgust at the thought._

"_Yes, well sometimes he made me touch him. I guess it got worse as time went on, but about six weeks after Sarah came, he started going to her bedroom many nights."_

_McGowan nodded, deciding to dodge the topic of this girl's foster father making her touch him. He would save that for Detective Gonzalez. _

"_Before that night in May, had Mr. Ross ever hit you?"_

"_No, in fact, he was very nice to me. Since, Mrs. Ross worked nights and would sleep during the days; he'd take me places on Saturdays. A few times, we went to Chicago for day trips, visited the Field Museum, Museum of Science and Industry, and saw a play at Navy Pier. The Rosses and I went to visit the Cahokia Mounds once, as well, since they knew I was interested in anthropology."_

_She paused before saying. "I should have known that he wasn't just being nice to me, that he had an ulterior motive."_

_McGowan frowned. Of course, that was this girl's reality; people were only kind if they wanted something from you._

"_Not everyone is like that, Temperance. Obviously, you aren't or you wouldn't be here with Sarah today."_

_This led nicely into the question that had been bothering McGowan from early in their interview._

"_Why didn't you tell anyone? His wife, did she know this went on?"_

"_No, she didn't, at least not to my knowledge. Pitting a wife against her husband over a foster child? Now, really what are the chances I would win that one?" she scoffed._

_He could see her point._

"_Don't you have a caseworker?"_

"_Yes, Lisa."_

"_Why didn't you notify Lisa that this was going on?"_

_Temperance shrugged her shoulders, "I am a senior in high school. I've been to four different high schools, and Deerfield is by far the best of them. In eight months, I graduate and go to college. If I told Lisa about Steven, she'd move me…again. There is no guarantee that the next home wouldn't be as bad."_

"_But, when your friend, Sarah, was being abused, you decided enough was enough?"_

_Temperance nodded, "I wouldn't say she is my friend, but, yes. She's only twelve. While, I feel comfortable making decisions about choosing not to report what happened to me; I don't feel comfortable with that decision when it involves another person. Besides, Sarah's mom, she told her that she was trying to regain custody of her. Steven was right; no one would miss me."_

_Her declaration made Detective McGowan want to cry or take her home to with him. Surely, he and his wife could take care of one misfit teenager, who lived in a world where it was acceptable to abuse sixteen year olds with no familial ties._

"_What happened to both of you isn't fair, Temperance, whether you have family waiting for you or not."_

_Temperance looked up at him with her steely blue eyes and said, "Well, Detective, life isn't fair, in case you hadn't noticed."_

_._

* * *

Thanks for reading! Please review. Reviews make me almost as happy as a new _Bones_ tonight!


	8. Chapter 8

Bile rose to the back of Booth's throat, as he read the interviews and flipped through the photos. Most the photos were of Sarah's injuries as a result of the rape: bruising on the inside of her thighs, on her neck from where he'd choked her, and around her forearms. There were a few of Bones: the black and blue finger shaped marks on around her wrists, faded bruises on her neck, and the bump on the back of her head, still caked with dried blood from being thrown against the wall.

Booth had certainly seen more disturbing photos; hell he'd seen people burned, found in a vat of grease, and eaten by innumerable insects. He'd even seen disturbing photos of people he'd cared about, but not of anyone he loved as much as Bones. The thought of someone having done these things to Bones, and that very same person having his daughter made him nauseous.

Booth shut the files and closed his eyes. In his mind, he cataloged the list of people – of men – who'd squandered her innocence. Booth grabbed two photos from the files then stuffed them in his bag. Throwing the bag over his shoulder, Booth headed to the home of number one on his list.

* * *

_October 10, 2016 11:30 AM_

"Booth," Max exclaimed, "Has there been a break in the case? Did you find Nat?"

"You bastard," Booth sneered, grabbing Max by the collar of his shirt.

Now nearly seventy and the survivor of bout of prostrate cancer, Max was considerably smaller than he'd once been. Booth lifted Max off the floor and backed into Max's apartment. With his other hand, he reached into his pocket.

"He did this to her! If you didn't run out her, no one would have done this to her!"

"Is that Tempe?" Max said meekly.

"Yes, that's Tempe! And now the fucking pervert who did this to her has my daughter!"

"Booth, I-I," Max stammered.

"You let this happen to your daughter. Now, it could be happening to my daughter."

Putting it into words made Booth's resolve crumble, and he placed his father-in-law's feet firmly on the ground.

"Booth, who? Who are you talking about?" Max asked.

"One of Bones' foster parents, he, he sexually abused her. And now, he has Nat. He sent a ransom note."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know. I knew she was unhappy then, but I didn't know anyone had hurt her. What's his name? Who did this to her"

"Nooo, I don't need you turning him into a human torch."

Max frowned, "What did the ransom note say?"

"He wants Bones and a million dollars at Garfield Park tomorrow at 11."

Max's eyes widened, "He wants Tempe?"

"Yes, look I have to go. I am sure Bones would kill me if she knew I told you about this," Booth said, his anger at Max dissipating.

"Sure," Max said, and Booth headed towards the door.

"Booth!" Max shouted after Booth exited.

"Yeah, Max?"

"Keep her safe, okay? You've always been able to keep her safe."

Booth nodded. No, he wanted to say, he hadn't. He hadn't kept her safe when Kenton had her hanging from a hook or when the gravedigger buried her alive in a car with Hodgins. Booth couldn't help but feel a bit of culpability for their current situation also. He should have asked Bones more about her time in foster care. In their five years of marriage, he could count on one hand the number of times they'd discussed it. He'd always just thought of those years as Bones' "lost" years. Booth knew how much she wanted to forget that they'd ever happened; a feeling he understood well. Hell, his father had been gone for years, and he'd still wanted to put an ocean between himself and his father when he'd turn eighteen. Maybe if he wasn't still dodging questions about his childhood, Booth wouldn't have felt like a hypocrite for asking Bones about hers. And, maybe, just maybe, their daughter would be safe at home right now.

* * *

_October 10, 2016 12:00 PM_

Booth strolled quickly into Malone's office. Caught up in the tangled web of Bones' past, he'd missed three calls from her and completely forgotten about the 11 o'clock meeting with Malone.

"Booth!" Brennan exclaimed, "Where the hell have you been?"

"I'm so sorry, Bones. I lost track of time," Booth said contritely.

"Lost track of time? Our daughter is missing!" Bones shouted angrily.

"Bones, I'm sorry, I – I."

"Dr. Brennan, why don't we fill Agent Booth in on what we learned about Ross," Malone asked, hoping to break up the fight between husband and wife.

"Fine," Bones said, glaring at Booth.

Thankful that his olive branch had been accepted, Malone began, "Well, Ross got out of jail in 2007 and registered as a tier III sex offender. Immediately after getting out of jail, he lived outside of Chicago. I spoke to his parole officer; he was the model parolee, always showed up for his meetings. His parole ended in 2014, and he moved to Pittsburgh. It looks like he fell off the grid six months ago. His neighbor noticed that his apartment was vacant, and he never re-registered anywhere."

"Do we have a recent picture of him?" Booth asked.

"We have one from a driver's license that is four years old."

"Great, why don't we take it to Emma's apartment building and school to see if anyone has seen him?"

"I already have two agents on that, Agent Booth. They are going to speak to Natalie's teachers, as well. But, also, your wife and her team identified the owner of the finger."

Booth spun around to face Bones, "Who is she?"

"Samantha Hicks," Bones replied, handing Booth a photo of a girl with curly burn hair and big blue eyes.

"Was she a foster kid?" Booth asked tentatively.

"No, a run away."

"But, she'd been fingerprinted?" Booth asked.

"Yeah, it was probably done through one of those ID a kid campaigns," Agent Malone interjected.

"So, someone cared enough about her to get her fingerprinted?"

"Apparently. Dr. Brennan has an address. Why don't we go there and find out?"

"Sure," Booth replied, pulling on his jacket then reaching for Brennan's before she snatched it out of his hand.

Noticing the exchange, Malone quickly said, "Ok, we'll take my car."

Twenty minutes later, they arrived at a small row home in the Mount Pleasant section of D.C. Malone pressed the doorbell and waited for someone to answer the door.

"Helllo?" a middle aged woman asked.

"Hello. My name is Agent Malone, and this is Dr. Temperance Brennan and Special Agent Seeley Booth. We are with the FBI. Are you Amy Hicks?"

"Is this about Samantha?" the woman said with a mixture of hope and fear.

"May we come inside, Ms. Hicks?" Booth asked.

"Sure," Ms. Hicks said, now almost certain it was bad news.

The trio walked into the living room, which was in sore need of updating, and sat down on the overly floral couch. An 8x10 school photo of Samantha looked back at them, as Ms. Hicks got her reluctant guests water.

"Ms. Hicks -," Malone began.

"Please call me Amy," she interjected in a futile attempt to postpone the inevitable.

"Amy, I am very sorry to tell you this, but evidence has been found that suggest your daughter is dead."

Amy turned white. She had expected this, but something about the use of the word "evidence" somehow softened blow. There was evidence that suggested the she was dead – suggested, but didn't confirm.

"Evidence?" she asked in a small voice.

Malone cleared his throat, "Her finger was found."

"Her finger?" Amy repeated tears welling in her eyes.

Before Malone could answer her question, Brennan said, "Yes, it was mailed to me with a ransom note for my daughter."

"Your daughter?" Amy asked, "You're the scientist and novelist whose daughter was kidnapped?"

Brennan nodded in confirmation.

"How do you know it is Samantha's finger?"

"Fingerprints," Brennan said simply.

"And why do you think that she's d-," Amy attempted to asked before letting out a sob.

Eyes downcast, Brennan said, "There was no evidence of blood flow to the finger."

Amy nodded.

"Is there someone that you'd like to call to be with you?" Booth asked.

"No, it's just me – after I found out what Mike did to her."

"Mike?" Malone asked, thinking he really should have dredged up Samantha's missing person's file before coming over.

"I didn't know!" Amy shouted with a sob, "If I had known, I would have kicked him out, pressed charges, whatever it took."

"What did Mike do?" Booth asked in his characteristically soothing voice.

Reaching for a tissue, Amy blotted her red, teary eyes and began to tell the story. When she filed the missing persons report, two agents were dispatched to the house. Searching Samantha's room, they discovered a diary jammed under her mattress. The first ten to twenty pages contained the usual sagas of twelve year girls: boys she had a crush on, arguments with friends, weekends at the mall. About five months before she disappeared, Samantha began to chronicle her interactions with her mother's live-in boyfriend, Mike. Mike had lost his job a month after moving in with Samantha and her mother, so he was frequently alone with his pseudo-stepdaughter. It wasn't long before he began molesting her and forcing her to engage in sexual acts with him. Samantha was told not to tell upon threats kill both her and her mother. So, she hadn't, but after four months of nearly daily molestation, Samantha took the only method of escape that she saw possible: running away.

After completing the story, Amy's eyes were red and puffy and tears cascaded down her cheeks, "I never knew," she whispered.

When Booth saw that his wife was about to open her mouth, he squeezed her hand and hoped she got the message to keep her thoughts to herself for the moment. His gesture was met with a glare.

Ignoring the exchange between husband and wife, Malone showed Amy Natalie's picture. She only recognized the little girl from the news. However, when Malone showed her the photo of Ross, there was a glimmer of recognition.

"I might have seen him. If I did, he didn't look at exactly like the photo."

"He might have dyed his hair or made other changes," Malone said.

"Where did you see him?" Brennan asked impatiently.

"I am sorry, I'm not sure. Maybe at the mall?"

"Please, think," Brennan pled.

"I'm really sorry. I know how hard it is to have a child missing. I have gone over every moment I had with Samantha before she ran away. Do you think this man took her, that she didn't actually run away?"

"I don't know," Malone said, "He may have just seen that she was a vulnerable child."

"Who is that man?" Amy asked.

"This is the man that we think sent Dr. Brennan Samantha's finger."

"What did he do to my baby?" Amy said with a whimper.

Inhaling sharply, Malone stated, "He's a registered sex offender."

"Oh God," Amy said, tearing flowing freely again.

"I'm sorry," Malone said.

"I am going to need to talk to Mike," Malone said somberly.

Amy nodded, "Well, you shouldn't have any problems finding him, he's in jail."

After a few more questions, and Amy's promising to get in touch in she could recall where she'd seen Ross, they left.

Barely out of earshot, Brennan challenged, "How could she not know what her boyfriend was doing that to her child?"

"I don't know, Bones."

* * *

October 10, 2016, 1:30 PM

Malone dropped Booth and Brennan off at the Jeffersonian. Later that afternoon, they planned to speak to their neighbors, as well as Elizabeth, but Booth has insisted they eat some lunch first. Returning to her office, Brennan was pleased to see that there were no more unwanted packages waiting for her.

"I have the use the bathroom, and then we'll go to the diner?" Booth asked, placing his bag in the corner.

"Sure," Brennan said, still annoyed at his lost hour before their meeting with Malone.

As she mentally cataloged his possible reasons for being late, Brennan noticed a file peeking out of Booth's bag. As she walked closer, she saw the name emblazoned on the tab: Brennan, Temperance. She pulled the file out of her husband's bag and noticed another file beside it; this one labeled, Ross, Steven. Brennan grabbed both files when she heard Booth's footsteps.

Brennan jumped up.

"What are you doing with this, Booth?" Brennan asked brandishing the file in her hand.

* * *

So, I know that Booth doesn't really carry a bag, but for the purposes of this story, he does.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Okay guys, I am **_**reallllly**_** hoping for more reviews for this chapter. You wouldn't want to add to my sadness over the end of the 100****th**** episode, would you?**

* * *

"I – I'm sorry Bones," Booth stammered, "I needed to know."

"Then why didn't you just ask me?" Bones asked.

"Would you have told me?" Booth replied quietly.

Ignoring his question, Brennan said, "Where were you?"

"Where was I?" Booth asked, hoping to postpone either having to lie to her or tell her a truth that was destined to escalate her anger.

"Yes, when you were _supposed_ to be meeting with Malone. Where were you?" she spat.

"I was," Booth hesitated and stared at the floor, "I was at your Dad's."

Taking a rare intuitive leap, "You told my father about this?" she asked incredulously.

He should have lied, he thought to himself, said that he fell asleep or something. He couldn't lie to her though, never had been able to, except of course for the five years of not telling her that he was in love with her. That was more a lie of omission, though. Booth knew the moment he knocked on Max's door that he was making a mistake, that he'd let his anger take control.

"Bones, I'm sorry," he said walking towards her.

"Get out!" she demanded angrily.

"Bones, please," Booth pled.

"Seeley. Get. Out."

_Seeley_. Bones only called him by his first name when they were making love or when she was _very_ angry at him.

"No, Temperance. I am not leaving," Booth said softly but firmly.

One rule of thumb that he'd learned in being married to Temperance Brennan was to _never_ walk out, not under any circumstances. He'd learned that the hard way during an argument when Natalie was an infant. He didn't even remember what their argument had been about, but she'd told him to give her some space. So, he did. When he returned two hours later, take-out in hand, Booth found her inconsolable in their bedroom holding the baby close to chest. That was the last time that he'd granted her request for "space". Now, he knew to give her a few minutes to cool off then hold her.

"Why do you always do this to me?" Brennan implored.

"Do what?" Booth asked, genuinely confused.

"This," she said, waving the file madly, "make me confront the past. First, you bring Russ to the lab after I hadn't seen him in fifteen years, then you told me I should forgive my dad, now this!"

She waved the file at him violently enough to dislodge several of the photos from the envelope in the file. The photos rained onto the floor, and Brennan instinctively reached to pick them up. Her fingers found the photo of the bruises encircling her wrist. She ran her thumb over the glossy surface of the photo.

"Just leave it, Bones."

Booth heard her let out a sob and immediately was by her side. He helped her rise to her feet and walked her over to the couch in her office. She was still clutching the photograph as she buried her head into the curve of his neck. His hand lovingly caressed her back as she began to speak.

"I never told anyone, anyone not related to the investigation," she said breathily into his shoulder.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to, baby," Booth said weakly, not knowing if he had the strength to hear her account of what was done to her.

She looked up at him, her crystal blue eyes moist with tears, "I think I do."

Booth nodded.

"I should never have let it go on for as long as it did, but I was scared. I thought that if I just could get through each day, then I would graduate and get the hell out of there."

"Then, when I saw what he was doing to Sarah," Brennan said, her bottom lip quivering, "I had to do something."

"That took extraordinary courage, Bones," Booth acknowledged.

Brennan shook her head, "No, if I'd had extraordinary courage, I would have reported the abuse after the first night that Steven went into Sarah's room rather than mine. Instead, I was relieved."

With this admission, she began crying again, and Booth's strong arms pulled her closer.

"Tell me what happened."

Through her sobs, Bones recounted her eight months with the Rosses.

"At first, they seemed nice, kind even. The family I was with before was clearly in it for the money. Lisa said they got rid of me due to Mr. Olivio's health problems, but I know that wasn't the truth. Mrs. Olivio told me I was a freak."

Booth recoiled at the thoughts of any adult telling a teenager in their care that they were a freak.

"But, the Rosses, I let myself think they were different. They took me places; we played games; when I got home from school, they asked me how my day was. Mr. Ross, I thought," Bones scoffed, "seemed particularly nice."

"I should have noticed that the attention he was paying me wasn't the attention that a father pays a daughter. He would tell me that I looked nice or would let his hand linger on my arm too long. Once, I recall him tucking my bra strap back into my shirt."

"It isn't your fault, Bones. None of what happened was your fault."

"Maybe not, but I should have noticed long before he started coming into my room at night."

"It started out with him asking me to undress then fondling me. After a few times, he started making me," Bones paused, "manually stimulate him. Then, he'd-."

She looked away from her husband before finishing her statement, "digitally penetrate me."

Booth felt his stomach clench as bile rose to the back of his throat, "Oh, baby," he said holding her impossibly tightly.

Brennan wiggled in his grasp a little and continued telling her story, "Then, Sarah came, and I saw the pattern repeating itself; Steven paying her a lot of attention. Then, one night, he went into her room instead of mine. I would hear her cries and just pull the covers over my head. After a while, she learned to stop fighting. It was just easier that way. One night, I heard her scream – a blood curdling scream. I ran into her room. Honestly, I thought he was killing her, like he always threatened he would if we told. Instead, I found him on top of her, raping her. Her nightgown was hiked up, and his pants were off. He had hand wrapped around her neck. I just kept yelling "stop". Needless to say, he didn't. I tried to pry his hands from around her neck and dug my nails into his forearms. It worked, he got off of her. He pulled me off the bed and onto the floor. Then, he kickied me in the side until I cried."

Booth swallowed hard, "The scar on your hip, it wasn't from falling off your bike, was it? "

"No," Bones confessed, choking back tears, "After he left, Sarah was bruised and bleeding. I told her that she had to tell her caseworker, but she was terrified that Steven would make good on his threats. Sarah said she'd just tell Donna that she'd gotten her period if she asked about the blood on the sheets. I got her cleaned up, and she spent the night in my bed"

"She was fortunate to have you, Bones."

Brennan laughed wryly, "No, she wasn't. I should have done something a long time before that; reported him the first time he went into her room. It wasn't until the third time he raped her that she agreed to go to the police."

Booth nodded solemnly, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I thought I could leave it behind. It's been over 20 years. I should have recovered."

Booth shook his head, "No, Bones. It takes a lifetime to get over that kind of pain. But, I don't think that is the only reason you didn't tell me."

Bones raised her eyebrows, "I didn't want you to think I was damaged, or more damaged than you already knew."

Booth locked her gaze, and cupped her face, "You are not damaged, Temperance."

"Yes, I am Booth," she said quietly.

"No, Bones, you are a survivor. You have unbelievable courage and strength."

He kissed her forehead softly, "The people who love you, Bones, they want to share the burden of your pain."

She nodded, "I love you. I never thought that anyone could ever love me the way you do."

"Always and forever, Bones."

"Where did you go after the Rosses?" he asked, wanting to give closure to her story.

In his mind, he knew the clock was ticking, and they should be following any leads to find Natalie. But, he knew that right now, his wife needed him. She needed to him to listen to her and hold her through her pain.

"Lisa, my caseworker, she placed me with a nice family, the Adlers. They were very kind, and let me stay with them after I graduated high school. They wanted me to stay with them on breaks from college, but I didn't. Lisa, I think she felt guilty, so she pulled some strings to let me stay at Deerfield high school."

Booth nodded, "There was a card from Lisa, in the file, marked 'return to sender'."

Lisa seemed to have chronicled Bones' life long after she was out of foster care. Her file contained the program from her high school graduation, an article in the local newspaper listing Temperance Brennan as the class salutatorian – Booth couldn't imagine who'd been smarter than her -, and a copy of Bones' acceptance letter, with a full scholarship, to Northwestern. Lisa had also kept a short human interest story on Bones - a foster care success story of a Northwestern graduate accepted into Binghamton University's doctorate of forensic anthropology program.

"Yes, she sent me cards for Christmas and my birthday, and she would write occasionally. I never wrote back, but I enjoyed her notes."

"Why didn't you write back?" Booth asked, already knowing the answer.

"That part of my life was over. Although her notes were thoughtful, I would rather not have had the reminder of the life I'd lived for three years."

"Do you ever wonder what happened to Sarah?"

"Yeah, sometimes," she said, shrugging her shoulders, "statistically, children in foster care, particularly those who had been sexually abused, have a poor outcome."

"Well, you didn't have a poor outcome," Booth said softly, "I'd like to think she did okay too."

"So do I. She was a sweet kid. The Rosses were her first foster family. Sarah's father was incarcerated, and her mother had mental health issues. Sarah was removed from her custody when a neighbor saw her eating out of trash cans."

Booth shook his head, so many terrible stories.

"Have you ever tried to find her?"

"No, I am sure she wants to leave her life in foster care behind."

Booth nodded, "I am sorry I told your dad. I had no right to do that."

"I know you had good intentions."

Booth smiled, "I just – I wish I could have protected you back then."

"That's ridiculous, Booth. You were on another continent."

"I know, Bones, but I just always want to protect you."

Booth noticed Bones begin to open her mouth in protest, and he silenced her with a quick kiss.

"I know that you can take care of yourself, but you had to take care of yourself for a long time. Now, I'd like to do that for you, baby."

Brennan sighed loudly.

"You could have married someone else and had an ordinary life, a house with a white picket fence, kids, and a dog," Brennan said sadly.

"Hey," he replied pulling her onto his lap, "if I wanted an ordinary life, I would have married an ordinary woman."

She looked into his warm brown eyes, trying to decipher her meaning.

"Instead, I married an _extra_ordinary woman and have an extraordinary life that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world."

* * *

So, I am not sure where they said that Brennan did her doctoral work at in the show, but Binghamton actually has a doctoral program in forensic anthropology. Also, I am in no way trying to demonize foster parents. As a matter of fact, my husband and I are in the process becoming foster parents right now


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Reviews make me write faster, so please review!!!!!!

* * *

After what seemed like hours, though was in reality less than twenty minutes, of taking solace in her husband's strong arms, Booth and Brennan returned to their search for their daughter. The clock was ticking, and there was less than thirty-three hours until Ross expected the ransom – and Bones. Still, there weren't any substantial leads. Booth and Brennan went to Parker's school and spoke to all of his teachers, football coach, and the entire football team, in the event that Ross has been hanging around Parker's school. Again, they came up empty. 

Malone's lackeys had a bit more luck. Mrs. Winkler was certain that she'd seen a man who looked very much like Ross, but with a beard and brown hair, rather than blond. She had noticed him when she, Ciana, and Emma were leaving the library. He had told Emma that she looked a lot like his daughter. Mrs. Winkler had thought it was a somewhat odd comment but didn't think much of it.

* * *

_October 10, 2010 3:00 PM_

"Ange?" Brennan asked, walking into her best friend's office, "Can you do me a favor?"

"Of course, sweetie," Angela said, eager for the possibility to help.

Handing her a photo, "Can you alter this to give him a beard and brown hair?"

"Of course. Did someone see him?"

"Yes, Emma's foster mother, outside the library. I want to take the updated photo to the library."

"Of course,"Angela nodded, "So, um, you lived with this guy?"

"Yeah," Bones answered shortly.

Booth's voice echoed in her head._ The people who love you want to share the burden of your pain._

"He sexually abused the other girl in the home and I. We reported him to the police; he spent twelve years in jail," Brennan reported rapidly.

"Twelve years?" Angela said, eyebrows raised, knowing that no one did twelve years for molesting a child.

Brennan nodded.

Gently placing her palm on her best friend's forearm, Angela asked, "Sweetie, did he rape you?"

Tears sprung to Angela's eye the moment the words crossed her lips.

Brennan shook her head, "No, but he raped Sarah, the other girl. I witnessed it."

"God, Brennan," Angela said, tears now running down her face and wrapping her arms around her best friend, "I never knew."

"How would you? I never told you."

"And Booth suggested that you tell me?" Angela said, a small smile gracing her lips and pulling away from Brennan slightly.

"Yes," Brennan nodded, "Some day I will tell you more about it, but now I need to get that picture to show around the library."

"Of course, sweetie. I will email it to you right away."

"Thanks, Ang."

* * *

_October 10, 2016 3:45 PM_

Hand in hand, Booth and Brennan walked into the library and walked up to the circulation desk.

"Excuse me, have you seen this man?" Brennan asked.

"And, who are you?" the woman who looked like the quintessential librarian asked.

Booth flashed his badge, "My name is Special Agent Seeley Booth, and this is Temperance Brennan of the Jeffersonian," he reciting, wondering how a librarian could no know his wife.

"Yeah, I've seen him. He was in earlier, checked out a copy of _Goodnight Moon_."

Booth swallowed the lump in his throat, "What's his name?"

"Let me check," she said, accessing the library database.

"Michael Kowalski. Lives at 127C Desales Street."

"Thank you. If he shows up, please call me immediately," Booth said, handing the woman his card.

Taking his wife's hand, he led them out of the library. He took out his phone and dialed Malone.

"Yeah, we have an address. 127C Desales. Me and Bones are on our way. Bring back up."

Putting his phone back in its holster, Booth said, "Malone's on his way with back-up."

Brennan nodded, "Booth, he must have been watching us for a long time to know about the book."

Booth took a deep breath, "I know."

Booth had read _Goodnight Moon_ to Natalie every day since she came home from hospital. Brennan has initially found the notion ridiculous - a book about saying goodnight to inanimate objects. Booth explained that he'd read the book to Parker frequently until Parker said he was "too old." Of course, he didn't have the opportunity to read to Parker everyday, but he wasn't going to miss out on that precious time with Natalie. Even when he was out of town, he would read the book to over the phone. Over the last year, Natalie had preferred that the roles be reversed, and she read the book to her father. Years later, Natalie sitting on his lap while he read to her would be among Booth's most cherished memories of his little girl.

Just after 4:00 PM, they arrived at 127 Desales, where Malone and a number of agents waited for them. One twenty-seven Desales was a large row home that had been divided into a number of apartments. It was, by far, the worst house in the block and surrounding area. Most of the apartments were inhabited by parents, who wanted their kids to attend the better school district. According to his neighbors, Kowalski was one of the only people without a child or a spouse that lived in the building. They said that he "kept to himself".

Booth and Malone led the way, knocking on the worn looking door.

When they received no response, the landlord shouted, "Mr. Kowalski? The Munoz's in G smelled gas. We have to inspect for a gas leak. If you are in there, please open the door."

Still no response. Malone gave the landlord the go ahead to open the apartment.

"Be careful," Booth whispered to Bones before entering the apartment.

The agents scanned the apartment, and young agent called for Malone, "You gotta see this."

Malone ran into the bedroom, Booth and Bones close behind him.

An entire wall was papered with photos of Bones and Natalie. Parker, though never Booth, appeared in a few photos. Ross had indeed been watching the Booth family for quite some time. There were photos of Natalie as a very young toddler, holding her mother's hand in the park. There were photos of Natalie and Elizabeth, as well as the nanny they had prior to Elizabeth. When Booth saw a photo of his wife with only her panties on, he immediately tore it down.

"Agent Booth, that is evidence," one of Malone's agent said.

"Yeah, were you planning on taking this particular piece of evidence home, Gonzalez?" Booth growled less than an inch from the man's face.

"No!" he shouted, "I just…sorry."

"I bet you are," Booth said, backing away.

"Booth, that's not helping," Brennan scolded, "I am sure that Agent Gonzalez had no intention of bringing that photograph home and using it as a stimulus -."

"Okay, Bones, got it."

"We are going to get an FBI forensics team in here to dust the photos for prints, make sure Ross doesn't have an accomplice."

"We should have Hodgins check the place for particulates," Brennan said, "maybe they'd narrow down where he has her."

Booth nodded, feeling less and less hopeful with each moment. He, however, felt the need to keep up the façade for Bones.

"I am sorry to have to mention this, but Agent Booth, Dr. Brennan, do you have the assets that Ross is looking for available?" Malone asked.

"It isn't going to come to that," Booth responded quickly.

"Yes, I liquidated some assets; they will be available tomorrow," Brennan replied.

"Malone, may I have a word with you?" Booth asked.

"Sure," he said hesitantly.

Brennan seemed pleased to boss around the agents for the moment, and Booth cornered Malone.

"You are not letting her deliver that money without agents nearby."


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Sorry for taking so long update! Soon, I will have more time to devote to my stories, as I teach a college course, which will be wrapping up soon. We are at about the half way mark for this story!

"Well, as you know, the FBI's policy is not to pay the ransom without proof of life."

Booth glared at the man.

"Of course, it isn't often the kidnapped child is the daughter of an agent and FBI consultant. I have spoken with the K&R specialist about possible GPS devices that your wife could wear _if_ we send her to meet Ross. I think that having agents waiting in the wings would be too dangerous."

Booth sighed, he supposed that he agreed. Increasingly, he felt that the situation was forcing him to make an impossible choice – between his wife and his daughter.

"Neither of them can get hurt," Booth stated resolutely.

"That's our goal, Agent Booth," Malone replied with a sympathetic nod.

"I am going to call our bug guy. He can work with the FBI forensics team to look for particulates," Booth said, wondering when he'd become fluent in squint.

October 10, 2016 4:30 PM

"Hodgins just left," Angela informed Cam.

Cam nodded, "I only hope he'll be able to find something. Booth said this Ross guy had a wall of photos of Dr. Brennan and Natalie."

"God, to think that he was watching Bren all this time. Poor Bren…and Booth of course."

"Yeah, well, this guy is in big trouble when they catch him. Booth will tear him limb from limb," Cam commented.

"Good, he deserves it."

Cam nodded, "After what he did to Brennan, and now, taking Natalie, yeah, Booth will be out for some vigilante justice."

"You mean how Ross followed Bren?" Angela asked tentatively.

"Umm, yeah, well, there's that."

"You know?" Angela asked, wide-eyed.

"Yeah, I saw the file from Ross's arrest," Cam paused, then said, "she never told you?"

"No, I don't think she ever told anyone – except the police."

"That would explain how Ross managed to survive this long."

Angela chuckled, "Yeah."

Her smile quickly faded as she dared to verbalize her fear, "What if we don't find her, if they have to send Brennan with the ransom to meet this monster?"

Cam shook her head, "I don't know."

She wasn't sure if she wanted to open the door to the possibility that Natalie wouldn't be found. Indeed, they didn't even know that she was alive. Clearly, Ross killed indiscriminately. Cam always considered herself agnostic at best, but she would make a bargain with God if it somehow resulted in returning Natalie safely to her parents and keeping Brennan out of Ross's clutches.

She'd always respected Brennan professionally, but Cam never expected Temperance Brennan to be one of her closest friends. And she had certainly never expected to see what she'd seen in that file. It certainly explained A LOT.

"Cam? Cam?" Angela said loudly.

"What?"

"I thought I lost you for a few minutes there."

"Oh, sorry, just thinking."

Angela nodded, "It's horrible what he did to her and that other girl. If something happens to Nat, I just don't know how they will go on."

"I know, they have both lost so much – Parker too."

"I love Nat like she's my own," Angela said, tears beginning to run down her face.

Cam nodded, thinking of when she'd had to leave Michelle behind as a little girl. She too began to tear up as she followed the painful memory to its conclusion. Of course, there would be no happy reunion for Booth, Brennan and Natalie if Ross – well, if Natalie never came home.

"Me too."

Hodgins' thorough examination of the apartment and analysis was fruitless. Ross did not leave behind anything that could narrow down his location. Booth, Brennan, and the Jeffersonian team had never felt quite so helpless – not even when three among them had been buried alive or one lay dying from the inhalation of a mysterious poison. They all stayed at the Jeffersonian late, with Angela leaving the earliest at seven PM, needing to return to her own babies.

Booth had FBI detail on the Hodgins household, despite Hodgins insistence that he had better security than the Feds could ever provide. Booth also had the FBI tailing Cam and Parker, of course.

Brennan was the last to leave the Jeffersonian at nearly midnight. She arrived home to find a note from Booth indicating that there was vegetable lo mein in the fridge. Brennan smiled; even now Booth was concerned with making sure her basic needs were being met. Nonetheless, eating was almost the farthest thing from her mind and had been since Natalie's abduction. She poked her head briefly into her bedroom to find her husband sleeping peacefully. Brennan considered crawling into bed beside him. She knew he'd wrap his arms around her in the way that always made her feel loved, cherished, safe.

Instead, she walked two doors down to her daughter's room. It was still adorned in the purple butterflies she and Booth had chosen for Natalie's nursery five years ago. She hadn't been in the room since shortly after Natalie was kidnapped. Everything about the two hundred square foot space reminded her of her baby girl. Brennan climbed into her little girl's sleigh bed. She curled up in the bed, drinking in the sweet smell of her baby, a mixture of powder, the fragrance of her no-tears shampoo, and something that was uniquely her little girl. Brennan clutched the stuffed bunny, a gift from Max on her first birthday, and sobbed softly.

A few minutes later, a soft voice asked, "Mom?"

In her own reverie, for a moment, Brennan thought that the voice belonged to Natalie.

"Mom? Are you okay?"

Brennan nodded, "I'm sorry that I woke you, Parker. You should go back to sleep, it's a school night," she said trying to regain her composure.

Parker shook his head, "You're not okay. How could you be?"

Parker sat at the edge of the small bed and reached for his stepmother's hand. Looking down at her slender fingers, he was reminded of not so long ago when her hands were still larger than his. He contemplated the transformation of Bones from his father's partner, to friend, to girlfriend, to stepmother, and finally his mother. For five years, she had been the one to dutifully serve him ginger ale and crackers when he had a stomach flu, drive him to on dates, discreetly looking at them in the rearview mirror, and helped him with homework. Parker knew that in the years to come, it would be Bones who'd hug him when he went away to college, who he would dance with on his wedding, and who his children would called "grandmom".

"I don't know if she's hurt or scared or -."

Brennan didn't have to finish her statement for Parker to know her worst fear, because it was his worst fear as well.

He hugged her, "This man who took Natalie, you lived with him?"

Over their five years living as a family, Parker had only heard whispered references to his stepmother's time in foster care. His suspicions that she was indeed in foster care for a few years was only confirmed by his pseudo-grandfather, Max.

"Yes," Brennan said with a weak nod.

"And he hurt you?" Parker asked hesitantly.

Brennan gave another affirmative answer.

"He beat you?" Parker asked, an image of his sweet little sister at the hands of the man who'd hurt his stepmother.

"Yes, well," Brennan said hesitantly, "and he hurt me other ways."

Parker's eyes widened. He'd never considered the possibility his stepmother had been sexually abused. It seemed like the most likely possibility given her reluctance to discuss it.

"God, I'm sorry, Tempe," Parker said hugging her a little more tightly.

"I reported the abuse to the police; I guess this is his revenge."

"We are going to get her, Mom. We will find her."

"I hope so, either way, I _will _bring her home," she replied, tearing returning to her eyes.

The thought of facing Ross again terrified her. She knew what that man could do if she made one false step.

"I don't know if I told her I loved before she went home with you and my dad that night."

"She knows, Mom. She was so hopped up on sugar that night; I had to read her like three books before she'd fall asleep. I read her _Good Night, Moon_ of course. That did it, after that, she was out like a -."

Parker was interrupted by his stepmother emitting a sob, "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to upset you more!"

"Oh, Parker. It's just – just that the man who has Nat borrowed _Good Night, Moon_ from the library. That's how your dad and I found out the alias he is living under."

"So he's been watching us? I mean that can't be a coincidence can it?"

Brennan shook her head, "No, he's been watching us for a while."

"And I gave him the opportunity to take her by being stupid enough to leave the door open." Parker said in self-reproach.

Bones sat up a little straighter in the small bed, "Parker, please don't blame yourself."

"But if I had just locked the damn door, Nat would be safe, sleeping in this bed right now," Parker said, on the verge of tears.

Brennan wrapped an arm around her stepson, "He would have found a way to take her."

Parker nodded, though not completely convinced by his stepmother's reassurances.

"You were Nat's age when I first met you," Bones said wistfully.

"Yeah, I remember. It was Christmas, and Dad gave me a robot. You were at the Chinese place that closed a few years back."

Bones smiled at the memory, "Yeah, Hop Li's."

Bones' expression turned more serious, and she said, "I am very proud of the young man that you have become, Parker. I know that I can't really take too much credit - ."

"You should take plenty of the credit, Mom. I know some people whose stepparents make it pretty clear that the stepkid isn't their own kid. You've never made me feel way."

Brennan's eyes teared up once more, "Thanks, Parker. I love you."

"I love you too, Mom."

While Bones and Parker were sharing an emotional moment, Booth's subconscious was fighting his demons.

_Booth broke down the door of the abandoned building; the door that stood between him and his family. He had insisted on coming alone, without back-up, fearing that one false move could lead to the death of his beloved wife and daughter. At first glance, it appeared that the FBI's lead was false, the room empty. Then, he saw them, huddled in the corner. Natalie appeared relatively unharmed, but Bones was badly beaten. Both of their hands and feet were bound, restricting any possible movement. Booth began to rush towards them when he heard the cocking of a gun's trigger._

"_Well, well, well. Looks like your knight in shining armor finally showed up, T."_

_Booth reached for his weapon and growled, "It's over, Ross. Give me your weapon and the swat team outside _might_ not put a bullet in your head."_

"_I don't think so. There is no way you'd risk your wife and daughter's life by letting the swat team tag along. You are alone," Ross taunted, pressing the cold steel of his gun to Natalie's head._

_She emitted a small whimper and implored, "Daddy."_

"_So, _Daddy_, who will it be your little girl," Ross said moving the weapon to Brennan, "or your wife."_

"_Booth, save our baby," Brennan pled weakly._

"_No, you are both coming home," Booth said steeling his gaze on Ross._

"_No, Agent Booth, I don't think so."_

_After the last syllable crossed his lips, he moved the gun from Brennan's head to Natalie's and pulled the trigger. In the instant before the bullet left the gun, summoning all of her strength, Brennan pushed her little girl out of the path of the bullet._

"_No!" Booth shouted firing his gun at Ross as he reached for his wife._

_Natalie wailed and rocked as Booth pressed his hands to the gaping wound in his wife's neck._

"_Bones, no, no, no, Bones! I love you, stay with me! BONES!"_

"Booth, wake up, I'm here."

Booth's scream had sent both Bones and Parker rushing down the hall. She found her husband twisted in the sheets.

"It's okay, Booth. I'm here," she said, reaching for him.

His tear filled eyes flew open, "Bones?"


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Love tonight's episode and am sooo excited about next week! The destroyed evidence has to be Bones' letter, right???

"I'm here. I'm safe."

"And Parker," Booth said wildly looking around the room.

"Parker's here, sweetheart," Brennan said soothingly.

"Natalie?"

Brennan was speechless, so Parker stepped in, "She's not home yet."

Booth dropped his head. He'd hoped that maybe the whole thing had been a bad dream.

"I'll let you and Mom be alone," Parker said sadly.

Brennan mouthed a thank you, and Parker returned to his room.

"I can't lose you – or Nat," Booth said on the brink of tears.

She wished that she could reassure him, tell him that he wouldn't lose either of them, but she wasn't sure she believed that.

"I know" was all she could say in response.

"What happened in your dream?" she asked softly.

Booth couldn't meet her eye as he recounted his botched rescue of her and their daughter. She gently ran her hand through his hair, while she held him.

"I can't let you deliver the ransom."

"What?" she asked, forcing eye contact with her husband.

"I can't, Temperance. I can't send you off to be -," he couldn't finish his sentence.

"Booth, just because it happened in a dream doesn't mean it is going to happen in real life."

"I read what he did to you and Sarah. He killed raped and killed two innocent girls. Obviously the only thing he learned in prison was not to leave behind live victims. We don't even know that Natalie is," Booth broke into a sob.

"If I don't deliver the ransom, then we will never know. I have to go. It's not negotiable," she said firmly but softly.

"I know. Just the thought of losing both of you," Booth began, tears streaming down his face, "Five years ago, when you had Nat, I almost lost you. I didn't know how I would go on. I held Natalie, and she was so tiny, so beautiful. I looked into her eyes and saw you. I thought that if I had her – that little piece of you – I could go on. If I lost both of you, I don't think I could."

"You have to. For Parker. We've survived so much, you and me. You pulled me out of the sand when I may have had only a few minutes to live. I - and the team – found that ship Taffet had you on seconds before it was going to blow up. Even when it seemed like there wasn't hope, we persevered."

Booth's lips curled up in a slight smile, "I never thought I would see the day when Temperance Brennan would be lecturing me on faith."

"Not faith in some mythical figure. Faith in us."

"I have faith in us, baby, but I just don't know if that's enough. I have prayed to Saint Anthony, Saint Jude, Saint Nicholas."

"Who are those last two?" Brennan asked.

"Patron saint of miracles and patron saint of children."

"I don't believe in miracles, but if a miracle is what it takes to bring our baby home," Brennan said through tears, "I can try to believe."

"Where were you before, when I woke up?" Booth asked.

"I was in her room. I just wanted to be surrounded by her."

Booth nodded, "I know. I did the same thing earlier, before you go home," Booth confessed.

"Remember when you were pregnant? After we found out it was a girl and went shopping?"

Bones smiled at the sweet memory. Booth had been so happy that his prediction was correct, that they were going to have a daughter.

"You wanted to buy all of that princess stuff," Bones said.

"And you told me that she couldn't be princess when neither of us were the descendents of royalty."

"I didn't know then that she would be _our_ princess," Bones said quietly.

"I love you," Booth whispered softly, capturing her lips with his.

They kissed passionately, desperately then made love in the same way. Each desperately holding on to one another, memorizing the other's body that they already knew so well. Neither was willing to admit that they feared this could be the last time together, but every needy touch communicated it clearly. Every loving caress begged fate to be kind to them.

After their love making, an exhausted Brennan fell asleep in her husband's protective arms, while he laid awake, unable to sleep knowing that in all likelihood she wouldn't be lying beside his again that night.

Running his hand over her soft hair, he prayed aloud, "God, please keep both of my girls safe. Let them both come home to me unharmed. Don't let my son lose another mother."

Tears streamed down his cheeks. "Please give me the strength to be as brave as her."

_October 11, 2016 7:00 PM_

Brennan sat at the table on the catwalk above the forensic platform contemplating what she'd have to do in four hours. She hadn't allowed herself to think about what facing Ross would be like, not in any kind of real way.

Booth and Malone had arranged all of the specifics. She would wear a locket – similar to the one that she always wore, the one given to her by Parker four Christmases ago. The locket would hold a tracking device. Booth had lobbied for a hidden camera as well, but the missing persons unit felt that the more wired Brennan was, the more likely Ross was to detect the devices. So, Booth acquiesced and agreed that Bones would "deliver" herself and the money with the GPS device as his only connection with her.

"Hi, Sweetie," Angela said, sitting down across from her best friend.

"Hi, Ang."

"You are really going to do it, aren't you?"

"I don't see any alternative," Brennan replied.

"They could send some sort of a body double or something," Angela suggested.

Bones laughed, "I don't think that would be a successful tactic. Aside from the poor likelihood of finding someone who looks _exactly_ like me, I am sure that Steven would detect that it wasn't me rather quickly."

"Well then, why can't they just send an agent and shoot the bastard? I am sure that Jack could figure out his location by the particulates on his tires or something."

Brennan shook her head, "What if he has an accomplice? The accomplice could be instructed to -."

"You're right," Angela interjected, not wanting her best friend to complete her statement.

"You would do the same for Rory or Zach, wouldn't you?"

"Yes, I hope so, at least. I hope that I'd have your courage, Bren."

Brennan hesitated, "I don't feel courageous. I am just doing what needs to be done, and I am terrified."

Angela reached her hand across the table and squeezed Brennan's.

"Promise me that you will make sure that Booth and Parker are okay if," Brennan began, trying, unsuccessfully to stifle a sob.

"Oh, sweetie," Angela said, rushing to her side and enveloping her in a tight embrace, "Don't talk like that."

"You know what he did to those girls, Ang. It is a real possibility that -," Brennan said letting out another sob.

Angela had only seen Brennan cry a handful of times: when she learned her mom was dead; when she wasn't speaking to her father after Natalie's birth; at Booth's grandfather's funeral; and of course the two times when she thought Booth was dead. She still sometimes wondered if Brennan had ever told her husband how distraught she was when she believed him to have been shot and killed nine years ago.

"Promise me," Brennan said, her red eyes pleading.

"Of course, Bren. I would do anything for you and Booth, but I won't have to."

"I am lucky to have you, Ang. I love you," Brennan said, returning to her best friend's embrace.

"I love you too, sweetie," Angela said, tears trickling down her cheeks.

"An -," Hodgins said walking up steps, before catching a glimpse of the best friends embracing.

Both Angela and Brennan turned their heads toward him, not releasing one another.

"Oh, I am sorry. I will let you ladies be alone."

"I really have to go meet Booth and Parker at the diner anyway."

Angela gave her a soft kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks, Ang," Brennan said, wiping tears from her eyes.

Brennan walked towards the steps, stopping in front of Hodgins.

Hodgins reached out to hug her, "Be safe, Dr. B."

Brennan nodded, tears pricking at her eyes again.

"You and Booth are going to get through this, just like when we were buried alive. You never gave up hope."

"Thanks, Hodgins. Tell Zach and Rory I love them."

"Will do."

Brennan had similar farewells with Cam and even Clark. Dinner with Parker and Booth was tense, each member of the party was unable banish thoughts of what would occur in less than three hours. After their late meal, Angela and Hodgins picked up Parker, and Booth and Bones went to the Hoover. They reviewed the plan with Malone but mostly just waited.

_October 11, 2016 10:45 PM_

"I have to go," Brennan said sadly.

She rose from where she was seated on Booth's lap. Booth had just held her in near silence for the last half hour.

"I know," Booth said.

Brennan leaned down and reached into her bag, pulling out for two envelopes.

She handed first envelope, labeled "Parker", and said, "I would like you to give this to Parker when he graduates college."

Before Booth could interject, she handed him the second envelope, "And I would like you to give this to Natalie, when you think the time is right."

Booth gaped at his wife, who was clearly fighting back tears. Her letter said what they both knew but were too scared to verbalize aloud: Bones intended to trade her life for their daughter's.

Booth took a step towards her and cradled her face between his palms, "I love you with all my heart, Temperance," and pulled her in for a kiss.

She returned his kiss fervently. They kissed passionately, with a lack of restraint they never displayed at work. Their intense love was so palpable, so magnetic that it drew agents out of their offices to watch the personal moment between lovers. There was more passion and affection between these two, even after five years of marriage, than most of the spectators could claim to have experienced their entire lives.

"I love you, too, Seeley. More than I could ever have imagined was possible."

Booth nodded and pulled her close once more, "I know."

"I really need to go."

Booth walked her to her car, parting the gathered crowd. Under any other circumstances, Booth would have given the agents pointed glares, but right now, nothing existed but the two of them.

With his hand on the door, Booth said, "Be safe, love."

"I will try. I love you."

"Always and forever, Bones. Always and forever."

And he took a step back from the car. Every fiber of his being screamed "follow her", but he knew he couldn't. So he watched her leave, taking half of his heart with her.


	13. Chapter 13

_October 11, 2016 11:10 PM_

The five mile drive to Garfield Park seemed to take an eternity. When she arrived in the deserted park, Ross was nowhere in sight. After ten minutes had passed, Brennan was beginning to think it was all a ruse. Ross had never intended to meet her at this park.

Then, she heard a vaguely familiar voice from behind her say, "T, I knew you'd show."

She spun around and was immediately met with the force of steel against her forehead. Then, the world went black

_Meanwhile…_

Booth and Malone kept vigil by the GPS receiver, waiting for Brennan to lead them to Ross.

"I am really sorry that it came to this," Malone said.

"Thanks," Booth mumbled.

Malone couldn't imagine how the poor man seated beside him felt at the moment. Malone couldn't fathom how he would feel if either Matthew or Emma were kidnapped. That being said, Malone was loath to admit that he and his wife, Monica, did not have the kind of marriage Agent Booth and Dr. Brennan had. Of course, he loved his wife, but the level of love and devotion that Booth and Brennan shared was absent from his marriage and many other marriages he suspected.

"What you and Dr. Brennan have, it's pretty amazing. How do you manage to sustain that kind of passion for one another?"

Booth glared at the agent, "Are you _really _asking me for marital advice NOW?"

"No!" _Shit, he is going to kill me, Malone thought._

Malone stammered, "I just – I – when I first came to the FBI eight years ago, about a month later, an agent pointed you and Dr. Brennan out to me. He told me that you and Dr. Brennan had a bureau high solve rate. You and Dr. Brennan were bickering about something, and you had your hand on the small of her back and were holding the door open for her. I asked the agent I was with how long you'd been married. He laughed and said that the party line was that you were "just partners."

Booth smiled slightly.

"What you and Dr. Brennan have, it's magical. It really is. I can't imagine what you are going through right now."

"Thanks," Booth said, fighting back tears, "She's everything to me."

They sat in companionable silence for a minute, when Malone said, "She's on the move."

When Brennan awoke ten, maybe fifteen minutes later - she couldn't be sure - everything was dark. Her wrists and ankles were bound, she was blindfolded, and her mouth was covered with duct tape. With her limited ability to move, Brennan suspected that she was in the trunk of a car, a moving car. Finding herself imprisoned in a car for the third time in her life triggered Brennan's fight or flight reaction, and she thrashed wildly. She fumbled for the trunk release mechanism. Brennan nearly met with success when the car came to a screeching halt, sending her body slamming against the wall the trunk shared with the back seat of the car, before resuming movement.

"He must have heard me moving," she thought to herself.

With that thought, her mind returned to the purpose of her nearly consensual capture. She allowed memories of her daughter to wash over her in waves: taking her first tentative steps, stringing together the sentence "I love you, mommy", getting a piggy-back ride from Booth. Each memory steadied her pounding heart a bit, allowing the parasympathetic nervous system to reset her bodily response. Brennan refocused her thoughts on her current mission and waited in still silence to reach her destination, wherever it may be.

When the car coasted to a slow stop, she could feel her heartbeat begin to quicken again. Brennan heard the opening of a car door and the subsequent click of the automatic locks. For a moment, she feared Ross never intended to remove her from the trunk. After all, he must have known about her history of abuse, perhaps he had decided this would be the worst way to kill her. Brennan took slow, deep breaths, trying to rid herself of the thought that this time she would not escape the confines of the car, that she would never see her daughter again.

Then suddenly, the car began moving again and her body jerked forward. Several minutes later, the car stopped again. Her peaked senses detected the approach of footsteps and a second later, she heard the turn of a key. When Ross opened the trunk, she appeared to still be unconscious, the illusion Brennan hoped to project.

"You're no better at pretending to be asleep now than you were twenty-four years ago, T," he taunted contently.

She remained silent, and he reached into the trunk. Under the cloak of a moonless sky, he carried her deadweight into the dingy basement where he'd been keeping her daughter for the last seventy-two hours.

He forced her into a chair and contorted her arms behind her uncomfortably. Then he tied her to the chair, as he'd done to Parker. All the while, Ross left her blindfolded and gagged. Brennan struggled against the restraints, letting out muffled cries.

"Mommy?" a small voice asked.

Feelings of relief rushed through her. Her baby was alive.

"Natalie," she shouted, her words made unintelligible by the duct tape covering her mouth.

"Natalie was alive, and I am leading Booth to both of them," Brennan thought hopefully.

Instinctively, she went to reach for the necklace disguising the tracking device. Brennan immediately received a painful reminder that her arms were uncomfortably positioned behind her back and a heard a "pop".

She screamed out in pain, as much as possible.

"Mommy!" Natalie cried.

Ross pulled the roughly from her head.

"Stop trying to scream, you are scaring your little girl," Ross said with an evil grin.

Brennan looked around, spotting Natalie cowering in the corner. She appeared unharmed. As a matter of fact, Ross had dressed her in denim jumper, pink shirt with matching pink tights, and black patented leather shoes. He had even done her hair in curly piggy tails tied with pink ribbon.

The thought of Ross undressing her daughter made her cringe, but she felt relieved that Ross had not hurt Natalie. Clearly, he had only taken Natalie as bait to lure Brennan.

"Unless," Brennan thought, "he was waiting until she was there to watch."

"Booth is on his way, Booth is on his way," she repeated in her mind, like a mantra.

It was only then that she noted the absence of the gold chain around her neck. She looked down and confirmed her fear: the locket was gone.

Watching her realization, a devilish smile spread across Ross' face.

"T, I would have thought you were smarter than that," he mocked, "I've been watching you for years. Didn't you think I knew that you wore a heart-shaped locket with your kids' pictures in it? You underestimate me, Temperance."

No, Booth was not coming.


	14. Chapter 14

October 11, 2016 11:45 PM

Booth and Malone sat in silence watching the GPS. When it stopped, Booth leapt out of his seat.

"He stopped - 1402 'D' Street NE – let's go," he demanded.

"I am going to call in the SWAT team," Malone said.

Booth nodded in agreement. Within fifteen minutes, Booth, Malone, and the SWAT team were outside the abandoned home at 1402 'D' Street NE. Booth's mind flashed back to a decade ago, when he and Hodgins scoured an abandoned warehouse for Kenton and Bones. He had almost been too late then, finding her hanging on that goddamn hook like some sort of slaughtered animal, Kenton about to kill her. He shuttered at the thought.

Despite Booth's protest, Malone insisted that the SWAT team enter the house first.

"All clear," they proclaimed a few minutes later.

"What do mean 'all clear'?" Booth growled.

"No one's here, sir."

Booth pushed the man aside and frantically searched the house for any sign that his wife and daughter had ever been there. The house was pitch black; the only overhead lighting was in the bathroom. Otherwise, only the light of his flashlight guided him. Sadly, the SWAT team was right, and Booth's search was fruitless.

"I'm sorry," Malone said for the second time in less than an hour.

Malone placed his hand tentatively on Booth's shoulder, and Booth shrugged it off.

"I just need a few minutes," he said and walked out into the small yard, scanning the space with his flashlight.

That's when he saw it glistening when illuminated by the light: the locket hanging off the lone tree. Right where Ross had put it while Brennan was imprisoned in the trunk of his car.

"Goddamn it!" Booth said, ramming his fist into the brick façade of the house.

"Fuck!" he shouted.

"Booth," Malone said, seeing the other agent's bloody hand.

Booth winced and shined his flashlight in the direction of the tree, "He's fucking with us."

Malone walked over to the tree and examined the locket then pulled out his phone.

"It's Malone. I need a forensics team at 1402 'D' Street NE," he glanced back at Booth and added, "and a medic."

Ross stood in front of Bones and ran his hand along her jawline.

He grabbed the end of the duct tape saying, "If you scream, you're dead."

Ross ripped the tape from her mouth, taking numerous epithelial cells with it. Bones squeezed her eyes shut, trying stifle a scream.

"Sorry to have to do that to your pretty face, T, but then, you weren't sorry for putting me in jail for twelve years. So, never mind."

She wiggled her lips slightly, waiting for the paresthesia to subside.

"You put yourself in jail when you -," she paused and glanced at her daughter. Natalie didn't need to hear the word "rape".

"When you touched Sarah and I."

"Ah, but Sarah would have just kept that to herself. _You_ were the one who went to the police."

There was no point in arguing. Although he most certainly deserved his punishment, Sarah would likely have never reported the abuse on her own accord. Brennan was the catalyst.

"You have a wonderful little girl, Temperance," he taunted, "smart like her mother. She is going to be a beauty like her mother."

Brennan looked at Natalie, hoping that her eyes conveyed a combination of love and apology.

"That social worker – what was her name?"

"Lisa," Brennan muttered.

"Ah, yes, Lisa. She felt so sorry for you – told us you'd been bounced around three different homes in a year, abused by one family. She practically begged us to take you, said you had so much potential and could benefit immensely from good schools and some individualized attention. She all but promised that you wouldn't be any trouble."

No wonder Lisa had felt guilty, Brennan thought.

"I could see how beautiful you were when she first brought you through the door – even with the baggy clothes and scraggly hair. Then Donna got you all fixed up – new clothes, a hair cut. She was a real good doer, my wife – well, ex-wife."

No surprise there, Brennan thought, Donna had been clueless as to what her husband was doing to the girls in their care and had been devastated when the truth was revealed.

"She served me with divorce papers immediately after returning from the police department. Had the marriage annulled, as a matter of fact."

"I image that having sexual relations with your foster daughter puts a damper on a marriage."

Ross laughed wryly, "You always were a fiesty one, T."

"The years have been very kind to you," he said, running his hand down her arm and over her breasts.

"Of course, I am sure that your tits probably aren't as perky as they were twenty-five years ago. Fuller though," he said grabbing her roughly.

"I didn't know you were interested in women over sixteen," Brennan snarled.

"Bitch!" he shouted, slapping her across the face with enough force to leave behind an impression of his hand.

"Mommy!" Natalie cried, running towards her mother.

"Mommy's okay," Brennan managed, fearing what Ross would do if Natalie approached her.

"Let her go," Brennan said in tone somewhere between a plea and a demand, "You have me. Wasn't that the point?"

"Maybe. Maybe I like knowing that your husband and his bastard son are home waiting, hoping for both of you to return."

"Don't refer to my stepson that way," Brennan growled, though she knew that strictly speaking, the term did apply to Parker.

"Let her go and-," Brennan swallowed hard, "and you can do whatever you want with me. Let her go home to her father."

Ross raised his eyebrows, "If I let your daughter go, I expect you be true to your word."

Tears in her eyes, Brennan nodded. She achieved what she had come to do. Her baby would be safe at home with her father soon.

October 12, 2016 12:25

Booth was seated in the back of the ambulance, where the medics had left him after wrapping his hand and attending to his wounds. From the dim light of the street lamp, Booth detected the outline of a familiar figure.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Malone called me, and I am a doctor, after all. Let me look at that hand," Cam said.

Booth reluctantly extended his hand for Cam's examination. He winced as she delicately touched the torn flesh and gently moved Booth's fingers to inspect them for fractures.

"Your third and fourth metacarpals are broken," Cam stated.

"It doesn't matter," Booth muttered.

"Yes, it does. You need to get them set and casted. I know that you can shoot with your other hand, Seeley," Cam reasoned.

Booth shook his head, "I knew it was a trap and let her walk right into it anyway."

"First off, we both know that no one lets or doesn't let Brennan do anything. Secondly, without you even telling me, I know that you fought her tooth and nail to find another solution."

"But there was not other solution, because I failed! I failed my wife and my daughter," Booth exclaimed.

"You didn't fail her Seeley – or Natalie. You did everything you could and still are. Malone said they will canvas the neighborhood once the sun is up to see if anyone saw Ross, a car, anything," Cam said, trying to offer her friend some hope.

"No one saw anything. How could they? It's so damn dark," Booth sighed, "I don't think I have ever felt so damn helpless, Camille."

"I know," Cam said, wrapping her arms around her friend.

Holding him, she felt him finally release the tears that had been building during their conversation in sobs that shook both of them. Cam allowed herself to shed the tears forming in her eyes as well. They stood wrapped in one another's familiar embrace, when Booth felt his phone vibrate in its holster. With his left, he reached in and retrieved it.

"Special Agent Seeley Booth," he answered.

Cam saw emotion flash across his chocolate brown eyes, and then he uttered the words, "Where is she?"


	15. Chapter 15

A/N: Only 42 hours until the finale! Okay, so just to clarify, the last part of this chapter is flashing forward to 2061 when Booth is deceased and Brennan is telling the story to her granddaughter (who is the 'I' in the last part).

Many thanks to my small, but loyal following! As always, reviews are _greatly_ appreciated!

_October 12, 2016 12:05 AM_

Ross had left with Natalie a few minutes ago. Ross wrapped the bandana that once concealed her eyes around her daughter's small head. Brennan told her daughter that she loved her and told her to tell her father she loved him. Before Ross whisked Natalie away, Brennan extracted a promise from him not to harm her little girl. Brennan only hoped that, for once, this unscrupulous man could be trusted.

Now, she had to manage her own escape. With a dislocated shoulder and bound wrists and ankles, Brennan knew that this was going to be no easy task. Both were bound with only some sort of fabric, rather than rope. With much effort, Brennan was able to pull her ankles apart and tear the fabric enough to extricate one foot. She shimmied her other foot free and was able to slide the chair across the room to the base of the stairs. Trying to avoid breaking her uninjured arm, Brennan attempted to slam the wooden chair against the cement wall with enough force to break it and, hopefully, free herself.

The chair was beginning to splinter when she heard, "Going somewhere, Temperance?"

_October 12, 2016 12:25 AM _

"I will be right there," Booth said hanging up the phone.

"What is it?" Cam asked anxiously.

"Nat's alive. She's at the FBI office," Booth said.

"And Brennan?"

Booth shook his head, "She wasn't with her. Can you give me a ride to the Hoover?"

"Of course."

In ten minutes, they arrived at the Hoover. Cam stopped the car out front, and Booth bolted up the stairs to the third floor where the missing persons unit was located.

"I am looking for my daughter," Booth told the first agent he saw.

"What's your -."

"Daddy!" Natalie exclaimed, running towards him.

He met her halfway and swept her into his arms, "Princess, you're really here! Thank God!"

Natalie giggled as Booth covered her face with kisses.

Booth pulled back, looking into her warm, brown eyes, and asked her, "Did he hurt you sweetheart?"

Natalie shook her head, "No. He told me that he was Mommy's friend. But, I knew he was lying, because if he was Mommy's friend he wouldn't have hurt Parker."

"No, Nat. He isn't. He is a very bad man."

Nat shook her head and her eyes began to tear, "I know, Daddy, he hurt Mommy."

Booth's heart skipped a beat, and he took a deep breath before asking, "What did the man do to Mommy?"

"He told me to call him Mr. Ross."

Booth nodded impatiently.

"Mr. Ross tied her up and tied her to a chair like he did to Parker. There was something on her mouth, and when he pulled it off it hurt a lot. Mommy didn't scream, but I could see her start to cry. And when Mommy said something about girls over sixteen, he slapped her really hard. His hand made a mark on her face"

Booth swallowed, "When you left, she was tied up, but okay?"

Natalie seemed to consider the question for the moment then nodded.

"Sweetie pie, do you know where Mr. Ross took you?" Booth asked expectantly.

She shook her head slightly in response, "I'm sorry! I should have paid more attention! I don't know where he took me; I don't know where mommy is!"

"Shh," Booth said soothingly, "It isn't your fault. You're home safe and that makes me- and Mommy - very happy."

The corners of the little girl's mouth turned up slightly, "But you would be happier if Mommy were home too."

Cam, who had walked in only a moment ago after parking her car, had to smile at the little girl's ability to read her father. She was certainly her father's daughter.

"Yes," Booth admitted, "but I am so happy and relieved that you are safe and that no one hurt you. We will find Mommy."

Her father's speech had helped to alleviate the little girl's worries somewhat. She chewed slightly on her lower lip and nodded.

"I love you, sweetie pie," Booth said, pulling his daughter against him once more.

Natalie wrapped her arms around him tighter and buried her head in Booth's neck. With the precious child that he and Bones had made together safe and unharmed in his arms, Booth could no longer suppress his emotions and began to cry softly.

Natalie whispered in his ear, "Don't cry, Daddy. I love you."

_March 14, 2061_

_I reached for another tissue to blot my teary eyes, "I don't know understand, Gram. Why didn't mom ever tell me about this?"_

_Brennan shrugged, "I don't know, dear. I always assumed that she didn't remember or did and didn't want to talk about it."_

"_How could she not remember?" I asked._

"_Well, your mother wasn't yet five when this happened," she reasoned._

"_I remember things from when I was four. I remember when Mom and I were living with you and Pops. It was your birthday- your sixtieth, I guess – and you'd insisted on not doing anything special. You said you just wanted dinner with me, Mom, Pops, Aunt Ang, and Uncle Jack. I guess Zach had already moved to Boston, and Rory was away at college. So, Pops got everyone together for dinner and had a prepared a video montage of photos of your from when you were a baby all the way through to the present for everyone to watch after dinner."_

_Brennan smiled at the memory. Booth had always loved to surprise her._

"_And," I continued, "Pops got you Ripley, Jr. I remember asking Pops a few years later why he named the dog Ripley, Jr."_

"_What did he tell you?"_

"_He said that the dog came with that name," I replied curiously, now suspecting Pops hadn't told me the truth._

_Brennan chuckled, "No, he didn't. Many years ago, before we were even dating, your Pops and I worked a case where a dog was the murder weapon."_

"_How?" I asked incredulously._

"_Well, his master was involved in a dog fighting ring and had been trained to kill. Anyway, I got very attached to the dog, whose name was Ripley, and wanted to adopt him. I even had a dog tag engraved with "Ripley Brennan" on it. I walked into your grandfather's office to tell him, and he told me that, sadly, Ripley had to be put down, because he'd killed a man. We buried Ripley later that day. You grandfather even had me say a 'few words' at the makeshift grave site."_

_I smiled, "That sounds like Pops."_

"_Yeah," Brennan said wistfully, "Anyway, at six or seven, he probably didn't want to tell you about a dog being euthanized."_

"_Yeah, probably. But, I still think that Mom remembers."_

"_I agree that it is would be odd for a child as precocious as your mother to have no memory of the event."_

"_Maybe she repressed it," I said._

"_You know how I feel about psychology, Lauren," Brennan chided._

"_Yeah, Gram, I know," I said with a laugh._

_It was somewhat of a running joke among the Booth grandchildren that if anyone pursued a degree in psychology, they would be disinherited._

"_It is getting late, don't you have to work tomorrow."_

'

"_Yeah, but it's only nine o'clock – unless you're tired, of course."_

"_Oh no, not at all!"_

"_Good, what happened next? I asked._


	16. Chapter 16

**WARNING! This chapter is rated 'M' for VIOLENCE and language. If you would rather not read this chapter due to the violence, I can send you a synopsis. **

_October 12, 2016 12:25 AM_

Brennan looked at him wide eyed.

"Fine, T. Don't sit then," Ross snarled.

The next thing Brennan knew, Ross was loosening the binds on her wrists. He placed his hands beneath her shoulders and yanked her out of the chair. Pain seared through shoulder and radiated down her arm. Ross covered her mouth with his hand to stifle her scream. Seizing the opportunity, Brennan bit down on the heel of his hand, drawing blood.

"BITCH!" he screamed releasing her in his pain.

Brennan managed to get half way up the steps before Ross recovered from the shock of the bite wound. He grabbed a fistful of Brennan's hair and threw her forcefully down the steps and against the wall. She hit the wall, her back and rear taking the brunt of the fall. Her head whipped back meeting with the immovable force of the cement wall. Brennan lost consciousness for a minute. When she regained consciousness, Ross was standing over her.

"You always were an ungrateful little bitch. It's time to keep your end of the bargain, Temperance."

Brennan moaned. Her whole body ached. She brought her hand to her occiput, feeling it slick with blood. The taste of Ross's blood in her mouth mingled with her own from biting down on her lip from the fall.

"Your sweet little girl is probably in your darling husband's arms right now."

"You hurt her didn't you? You promised not to hurt her!" Brennan said wild-eyed.

"And I always keep my promises, T. She's with that FBI husband of yours."

Allowing herself to believe what this monster of a man had just said, Brennan breathed a temporary sigh of relief.

"You never told him about us did you, Temperance?"

"There was no "us". I was your foster child. You were charged with my care – instead you molested me and raped Sarah."

When the word "rape" left her lips, Ross kicked her swiftly in the gut.

"No! You didn't want him to know that you were damaged goods. Now he knows, and he is disgusted by it!"

"No!" she spat back, holding her stomach.

"Of course he is! Why else would he send you in as bait? Why would he trade you for his daughter?" he goaded.

"No! It was my idea! Booth begged me not to do it," Brennan retorted, rising to her feet.

Ross let out a maniacal laugh and pinned her against the wall. He wrapped his hand around her long, slender neck. His grip was tight enough that Brennan finding it difficult to breath, but loose enough that Brennan knew he did not intend to strangle her to death- no, Ross would ensure that he death was long and painful.

Ross brought his other hand to her neck and tightened his hold on her, making it increasingly difficult for Brennan to breathe. She gasped for breath and struggled against his grip. She reached for Ross's hands, clawing madly at them. Ross squeezed harder constricting her larynx further and slid her body a few inches up the wall. He felt her resolve weaken as the oxygen supply to her brain diminished, and she no longer scratched madly to create even a millimeter of separation between Ross's hands and her neck. Just as the room was beginning to blacken, Ross released her from his grasp and let her fall to the floor with a thud.

_October 12, 2016 12:35 AM_

News of Natalie's return traveled fast. After parking, Cam had called Angela, who immediately went to the Booth household to collect Parker.

"Natalie is home, but not mom?" Parker asked Angela expectantly.

Angela shook her head sadly, "No, Bren isn't with her."

Cam had told Angela about the locket and Ross's ruse. She wasn't sure how much information she should share with Parker.

"Something happened to the tracking device she was wearing, didn't?" Parker asked hoping Angela would quickly jump in and negate his statement.

Angela took a deep breath and slowly exhaled before speaking.

"You really are your father's son, aren't you," she said, not looking at Parker for a reply, "Yes, Ross figured it out and ditched the locket behind an abandoned house."

"So we have no way of finding her?" Parker said, a tear sliding down his cheek.

"Aww, sweetie," Angela said, her heart breaking for the teenager seated beside her, "We are going find her. Jack said maybe he will be able to get something off Nat's clothes that will help. He's heading over to the Jeffersonian after Cecilia arrives."

"Wow, you must have a really devoted babysitter if she's willing to come at midnight."

Angela chuckled, "Yeah, well I am sure Jack will pay her handsomely for it."

They arrived at the Hoover several minutes later and took the elevator to the third floor, as Cam had instructed. After exiting the elevator, Parker broke into a run when he saw his little sister whose hand was held firmly be their father.

"Natty!" he shouting, running towards his little sister and turning the heads of the agents and other personnel gathered.

Father and daughter turned around, and Natalie ran towards her brother. She tripped over her own feet and tumbled to the ground. Parker quickly scooped her up. Taking the little girl in his arms, he hugged her close.

"I am so glad you're home, Nat. I was so worried about you," he said, gently kissing her forehead.

"Me too. But mommy is still with that bad man."

Parker nodded, "I know."

"Daddy is really sad. I should have made sure that mommy came home with me," Natalie lamented.

Parker brushed a curl that had escaped from her pigtails from her face, "Mom wanted to make sure that you were safe, Nat. That is what parents do."

"Then who protects mommy?" Nat asked, looking at her brother with the chocolate brown eyes they shared.

"Dad does. That is why he is so sad, because he couldn't protect you and Mom from the bad man."

_12:40 AM_

She laid still on the cold cement floor, and he peered over her.

"You didn't think that I was done with you yet, did you?" Ross asked with a wicked smile.

Brennan opened her mouth to reply "no", but no sound came out. Rationally, Brennan knew that vocal cord compression from strangulation could lead to temporary voice loss. But, the loss of her voice – particularly the loss of the ability to scream – terrified her.

"That's what some thug did to be in prison," Ross continued, "The first night, I heard the guard tell this guy that I was a "baby raper". This thug – Anton – was more than happy to show me how he felt I should be punished. And, the guard just stood by and watched. He finally told Anton to stop when he could see I had a tenuous hold on consciousness."

He squatted down by Brennan and whispered, "_Just like you did_. How does it feel? It might as well have been your hands around my neck in that cell."

"You know what he did once I was on the floor?" Ross asked leaning closer to her.

Brennan shook her head tentatively, knowing all too well that she'd be finding out very soon – the hard way.

Ross stood up abruptly and kicked her swiftly in the stomach.

"He did this!" he said, kicking her again, "Again, and again, and again!"

With each 'again', he kicked her harder. With her voice gone, she could only sob silently. Her mind screamed for Booth. She closed her eyes to picture him, attempting to steel herself against the excruciating pain.

When Ross finally relented, he looked down at her with disgust then ordered her to get up. Even if she had wanted to, Brennan was in too much pain and too weak to follow his command.

"I said get up!" Ross said grabbing her arm and pulling her to her feet.

Brennan let out a small whimper, and he pushed her against the wall.

"Now, I am going to have you like I should have twenty years ago, and then I am going to end you," Ross sneered, looking her squarely in the eye.

She slumped slightly, unable to hold her bruised, aching body erect.

"Stand up," Ross said, content that he'd broken both her body and spirit.

Ross pulled a gun that he'd evidently had holstered during his entire assault of Brennan and pressed it to her forehead, "I said, stand up!"

Brennan straightened enough to appease him, and he commenced unbuttoning her jeans and lowering the zipper enough to pull them over her hips.

"Mmm," he said taking in her exposed flesh, gripping her upper arm tightly.

He pulled down her underwear and ordered her to step out of both items of clothing. Humiliated, she did as he said.

Ross released her upper arm and began removing his own pants. As he focused on his task at hand, tears steamed down Brennan's face. Her mind flashed to Booth finding her, battered and lifeless. Booth, Parker, and Natalie with tear-stained eyes crowded around a casket. She saw their futures: Booth, a widower; Parker, a broken child having lost two mothers in his short lifetime; her precious baby girl. Natalie. If she was killed, Natalie might not even remember her.

No.

She would not leave Natalie and Parker motherless.

She would not leave the love of her life heart broken, to raise their children alone.

Twenty-four years later, Brennan resorted to the instincts of self-preservation that she'd had as a child

Ross was still distracted by removing his pants when he felt the heel of Brennan's shoe dig into his foot. Ross yelped and momentarily moved the gun from her temple.

With her relatively uninjured arm, Brennan seized the opportunity and reached for the weapon. She wasn't going to go down without a fight.

And a fight is exactly what ensued. They wrestled for the gun, which now hovered between their chests. Adrenaline coursed through her veins. Mentally, she repeated the mantra: Booth, Parker, Natalie. They gave her strength, and for a moment, she was able to ignore the immense pain she was enduring. As each of their hands held the grip of the gun, Brennan fought to turn the gun towards her assailant. The last thing she heard was the deafening pop of gunfire.

Don't be too mad at me for what he did to her! Please review and let me know what you think!


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: Wow, lots more reviews for that last chapter. I hope to hear all of your opinions on this one too! Thanks for reading!**

_October 12, 2016 12:45 AM_

When he released his little sister from his arms, Parker walked over to his father, while Natalie stayed behind with Angela.

"Hey Park," Booth said, giving his son a hug.

"Hi Dad. I can't believe she's really home," Parker confessed, his eyes tearing up.

"I know," Booth nodded, "Me too."

"Did he-," Parker paused not knowing how to ask the question he desperately needed answered, "did he do what he did to Tempe as a kid?"

"H-how do you know about that?" Booth stammered.

"She told me the night before she – left. I found her crying in Nat's bedroom."

Booth smiled at his son, proud that he'd been there to offer comfort to his wife.

"No, he didn't hurt her – at least that is what Natalie says. I need to take her to the ER to be examined."

Parker nodded, "Can I come with you?"

"Of course, you can, Park."

"He changed her clothes. She was in her _Hello Kitty_ nightgown when he took her," Parker said somberly.

"Yeah, that's why I am not fighting them examining her. I mean I think Nat knows about where people shouldn't touch her, but I don't want to take any chances."

"And Angela said Uncle Jack is going to look at Natalie's clothes for particulates."

"Yeah," Booth replied, when he felt a small tug at his shirt.

"Aunt Angie said that I have to go the doctor but that it won't hurt," Nat said, sounded disconcerted.

"Yeah, sweetheart," Booth said, lifting the little girl into his arms again, "Me and Parker are going to come with you to the hospital. We are going to ride in that nice man's car."

Booth pointed to one of Malone's agents, and Natalie nodded compliantly. Booth kissed his daughter lightly on the forehead and willed himself think only of his daughter in this moment. That's what his Bones would want him to do.

_12:50 AM_

It had happened in a heartbeat. His _last _heartbeat. At the last minute, Ross had wrenched the gun slightly upward at a thirty-five degree angle from the plane of his body. When she fired the weapon, the shot penetrated his neck, slicing through the carotid artery and exposing the musculature of his neck. When it exited the back of his head, brain matter splattered across the floor and back wall. His blood spurted onto Brennan's neck and chest. Ross crumbled, lifeless, to the floor.

The force of the close range shot made Brennan stumble backwards towards the wall behind her. For a moment she just stared. He was dead. Ross was dead, and she'd killed him. She'd killed him before he could kill her. But the sharp pain in her gut reminded that her injuries would likely be fatal if she wasn't found soon. Brennan staggered towards the steps. With each footstep, she felt her body weakening and the pain getting stronger. Her surroundings grew increasingly blurry as she reached the stairs.

"One foot in front of the other," Brennan reminded herself.

As her foot landed on the third stair from the top, she collapsed and slid to the base of the stairs.

_1:10 AM_

"Angela, Cam!" Hodgins shouted.

"What?" they exclaimed nearly in unison, running towards Hodgins' work space from their respective offices.

"Okay. I ran a sample of the compacted soil from the underside of Nat's shoe through the mass spec. And, I think we just got lucky."

"Because…," Cam prodded.

"Because, this peak here," Hodgins said, pointing to the screen, "indicates that the soil had high mercury content."

"And you know where there would be high mercury levels in soil?" Angela asked, hopefully.

"Yes, eleven years ago, some punk brought mercury into Cardozo Senior High School. The EPA came in to clean it up, but it is likely that some seeped into the soil in the immediate neighborhood. I am sure the feds didn't do a sufficient -."

"Hodgins! How do you know it was this high school? There have to be other areas that have soil high in mercury," Cam asked, hoping to derail Hodgins' conspiratorial ramblings.

"The mineral composition and the mercury content point to that area. PLUS, it is only three and a half miles from where Booth found the locket."

Cam looked to Angela, who looked to Hodgins.

"I'll call Booth," Cam said, pulling her phone out of its holster.

"_Cam, did you find something?"_

"_Hodgins did. The dirt – soil, yes, Hodgins, soil – in Natalie's shoe was high in mercury. Apparently, there was a mercury spill a decade ago in -."_

_Booth cut her off, "Cardozo High School. Hodgins thinks she's near the school?"_

"_Yes," Cam said breathlessly._

"_I'll call Malone," Booth looked back at Natalie from where he stood in the doorway. The doctor had not examined his daughter yet, though they'd gotten a room right away, courtesy of their FBI escort. He hated to leave her when she had only just returned to them._

"_Do you think Ang could come and stay with Parker and Nat at the hospital?"_

"_I am sure she wouldn't mind," Cam replied then paused, "Seeley, I want to come with you."_

"_No way,_ Camille_. I always put my wife in danger. I am __not__ putting you in danger too."_

"_I know how to handle myself. I used to be a cop, remember. Besides, I don't have to go in. I can just wait outside. She might need medical care and the sooner, the better."_

_Booth didn't reply right away. He was considering Cam's offer and cringed at her – probably correct – assumption that Bones was going to need immediate medical attention. But, with everything she'd been through, the last thing that he wanted was for some stranger to be touching her._

"_Seeley, please let me do this for her – for you."_

"_Okay, but you are definitely not going anywhere near Ross. I will call Malone and get back to you with the plan."_

"_Thanks, Booth. I will send Angela over to the hospital."_

_1:20 AM_

Booth, Cam, Malone, several other agents, and the SWAT team met at the high school. The local police department had notified them that there were two abandoned houses on the same block as the school and another three on the block behind the school. The local police department informed them that the block of row homes behind the school had basements, while those on the same block as the school did not. Natalie had not been able to provided many details about where she and Bones were being held, but the description she gave certainly pointed to a basement.

The first house was empty, aside from rats and what appeared to be the meager belongings of a homeless person. The second house had been the site of a recent drug bust and was littered with used syringes and other drug paraphernalia. The basement, however, was empty.

Booth took a deep breath as they entered the third house. He had a great deal of faith in Hodgins, but what if this was the one time the bug guy was wrong? He pushed the thought from his mind as he walked briskly towards the entrance to the basement.

"Agent Booth!" Malone shouted, "Wait for backup!"

Ignoring Malone's demand, Booth turned the knob and opened the door slowly, trying not to make a sound. He was about pull his weapon when he saw her – his wife splayed across the steps, motionless, naked from the waist down.

"No!" he shouted running towards her and nearly tripping down the stairs.

"Oh, God. Oh God, baby. God, please let her be okay," Booth said leaning over her, searching for her pulse.

As tears streamed down his face, he found her faint pulse. It wasn't the strong, steady beat of her heart that he was accustomed to hearing when she slept pressed against him, but it was a pulse, nonetheless.

"Cam!" Booth called, rising to his feet.

Booth peered around the corner, making sure that Ross wasn't lurking in the shadows. Instead, Booth found his wife's attacker bloody and lifeless on the floor, his brains staining the wall and floor.

Malone came up behind Booth, who stood in shock of what his wife had managed to do while injured and facing uncertain death.

"Go be with your wife, Booth," Malone said softly, putting his hand on his shoulder.

Booth nodded and walked back in the direction of the stairs. His eyes met those of his friend, who was kneeled beside Bones.

"We need to get her to the ER right away. I told one of the agents to call an ambulance," Cam said choking back tears.

Booth nodded, wiping away the tears clouding his vision. He took off his jacket and wrapped it delicately around her waist. Then, he gently placed his arm under her knees and carried her away from the nightmare she'd just experienced.

_By the way, a child really did bring a container of mercury to Cardozo High in 2005, and the EPA was brought in to deal with the chemical spill. The rest is fictitious._


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Sorry for the two week hiatus. I had a **_**really **_**good excuse – I was in the hospital (I have cystic fibrosis). So, I had time to write but no internet access. I will be posting the next chapter in the next few days. Thanks for reading, and please review!**

_October 12, 2016 1:25 AM_

Cam ran ahead of Booth, laying out the blanket Booth told her she'd find in his trunk on the grass. It was likely to take another few minutes for the ambulance to arrive. Cam knew that these few minutes could be crucial for Brennan and intended to do anything in her power to keep her friend alive until that time.

Booth gently laid his wife on the blanket. He hovered over her and gently brushed the hair away from her face.

"I am going to try to assess the extent of her injuries," Cam said softly, "It might save time when the paramedics get here."

"Okay," Booth nodded.

Cam lamented not having any useful supplies. A pathologist doesn't typically need a blood pressure cuff or a kit to start an intravenous line. The only instrument she had that was remotely useful to someone living was her stethoscope from medical school. At the moment, only the flashlight was coming to good use. Cam could barely see, and the moonlight and streetlight were not particularly helpful.

"Pupils are equal and reactive to light," Cam reported.

"That's good, right?" Booth asked hopefully.

"Yes," Cam placed two fingers on Brennan's wrist then ankle, "Her pulse is 35 beats per minute. I think she had lost a lot of blood. I need to find the source."

"I think that most of the blood on her clothes and face is Ross'," Booth stated.

Cam nodded, "She killed him?"

"Yes, he raped her, beat her, and God knows what else, and she still managed to shoot him."

"She's a survivor," Cam acknowledged, reaching in her bag for scissors, "I am going to cut off her top now."

"I should have protected her," Booth said, stifling a sob.

"You can help her now, Booth," Cam said, momentarily resting her hand on his, "Shine the flashlight on her stomach."

Booth did as he was instructed and was horrified at what he saw. Brennan's abdomen was covered in an angry, reddish purple bruise nearly a foot in diameter.

"Jesus Christ!" Booth exclaimed.

"I think we found the source of the bleeding," Cam said with a heavy sigh.

What she said next was drowned out by the sound of the siren of the approaching ambulance. By the time the ambulance came to a halt, Booth had already gathered Brennan into his arms, ready to place her on the stretcher. Two paramedics emerged from the vehicle: one male, one female. Before either had the opportunity to ask Cam or Booth any questions, Booth began reciting Brennan's medical history.

"She's losing a lot of blood. She has von Willebrand disease. Her blood type is O+."

"Woah, slow down," the male paramedic whose name tag read "Mike".

"She was brutally assaulted and has a large hematoma on her abdomen. Her pulse is thready. I suspect she might have a ruptured spleen," Cam explained.

"And you are?" Mike asked.

"Dr. Camille Saroyan, a close friend of the family."

"Let's do the introductions later!" Booth fumed, "Get my wife to the damn hospital!"

"Lay her on the stretcher, Mr…," the female paramedic, Lindsay soothed.

"Booth, Seeley Booth, and this is my wife, Temperance Brennan. You need to save her," Booth pronounced desperately.

"We will do everything in our power, sir."

Booth laid Brennan gently down on the stretcher, "You are going to be okay, baby. I love you."

Booth pressed a firm kiss to his wife's forehead before stepping aside to allow the paramedics to begin working.

Lauren started an intravenous line, while Mike connected Brennan to a machine that monitored her heart rate, oxygen saturation, and blood pressure. The machine beeped angrily, the numbers 34, 85, and 88/40 flashing at the same tempo as the beat.

"Mr. Booth, we need to intubate your wife. Her oxygen level is too low."

Booth nodded, tears clouding his vision, "Please. I can't lose her."

"Would you like to ride along, Mr. Booth?" Lindsay asked.

"Yes, I would," Booth said, glancing back at Cam.

"I'll follow behind you."

"We'll have the sirens on. We are taking her to Providence Hospital," Mike explained.

"Thanks, I will see you there."

Cam walked towards Booth who had just climbed into the back of the ambulance. She reached for her friend's hand1

"Thanks, Cam," Booth said squeezing the outstretched hand, "for everything."

Cam nodded, a tear trickling down her cheek. The last sight she saw before the ambulance door closed and the sirens began to scream was Booth clutching Brennan's hand desperately.

October 12, 2016 1:40 AM

Cam called Angela, who was still at the hospital with Natalie and Parker, when she stepped insider her car. Angela sobbed for a solid minute when Cam described the condition in which her best friend was found. When she was able to collect herself, Angela informed Cam that the examination of Natalie indicated that Natalie's account of what occurred during her kidnapping was correct, Ross has not harmed her. Cam was able to breathe a sigh of relief on Natalie's account. Angela planned to call Hodgins, while Cam contacted Sweets.

When Cam arrived at the hospital's emergency room, Hodgins was already pacing in the waiting room.

"How is she?" he asked Cam frantically.

"I don't know. I haven't heard anything beyond when I left the scene."

"Cam, Hodgins!" Sweets shouted running towards them.

"I'm glad you could come," Cam said, "we don't have any news, though."

Sweets nodded, "How is Booth holding up?"

Cam sighed, "Not so well. He blames himself."

"Of course he does," Sweets said, "He feels responsible for Dr. Brennan's safety and well-being."

"How about you leave the psychology mumbo jumbo out of this?" Hodgins suggested with more than a hint of sarcasm.

"Sorry. Did you call Max?" Sweets asked.

"Shit," Cam said, "I totally forgot. I don't have the number."

"I will call Angela and get it," Hodgins said.

As Hodgins called his wife, Cam described Brennan's injuries to Sweets. Sweets winced at the thought of his friend brutally beaten.

"Angela's on her way. She is going to leave Parker and Natalie with Cecilia. I will give Max a call."

Hodgins began dialing the number, when Booth entered the waiting room. Cam, Hodgins, and Sweets froze waitng for their friend to speak. Booth looked broken and weary. His expression was unreadable, and when he finally opened his mouth to speak, the trio, desperately awaiting his news, weren't sure what to expect.

"She's in surgery," he finally said, "They need to remove her spleen."

"Do they -," Cam began but was unable to formula the terrifying question.

"They don't know. She is intubated and was given three units of blood. They gave her that DDVAP to help with the bleeding during surgery. The doctor said that Ross – that he," Booth tried to finish his statement, his lips quivering.

"Strangled her," Cam said softly.

Booth nodded and tears began flowing freely down his cheeks, "How did you know?"

"She had some redness and scratches on her neck. She also had petechiae inside her lower eyelids."

"Pet – what?" Sweets asked.

"Petechiae – tiny red spots. They indicate a temporary lack of oxygen flow."

"The doctors don't know how long her brain might have been deprived of oxygen. She could have brain damage," Booth said with a sob.

No one had noticed that Angela had arrived until she wrapped her arms around Booth, "Oh God, Bren!"

Booth and Angela clung to one another for a moment, bonded in their intense sadness for Brennan and one another.

Hodgins placed his hand on his wife's back, "Dr. Brennan would say that we shouldn't jump to conclusions. She's a fighter. She'll come through this."

Angela turned around and squeezed her husband's hand, "When will we be able to see her?"

"The doctor said that the surgery will take about three hours. When she is in recovery, I guess she will be allowed to have visitors."

"Can we do anything for you, man?" Hodgins asked.

"No, I just - Booth sighed loudly, "Bones would be glad you're all here – I'm glad you're all here in the middle of the night, nonetheless."

"You know we'd all do anything for you and Bren," Angela said.

"What did you tell the kids?"

"I told Natalie that Bren needed to go to the hospital like she had but that she might have to stay longer. When Nat was out of earshot, Parker asked how badly Bren was hurt. I told him that I knew her injuries were bad, but didn't know how bad, exactly."

Booth nodded, "Did anyone call Max?"

"I was just about to when you walked in. Would you like to call him?"

"No, one of you can, if you don't mind. It's good that Ross is dead, or I am sure he'd take matters into his own hands."

Hodgins chuckled nervously at the comment.

"I wouldn't want him to have the pleasure," Booth said angrily.

"If there are any new developments, I will be in the chapel," Booth said before walking away from his gathered friends.

Booth shoved his hands in his pockets and walked towards the empty chapel. The chapel was neutrally decorated with a statue of St. Camillus, patron saint of the sick, in on the altar. Booth sat in the second pew just staring at the statue for a moment. Many terrible things had occurred over the course of his life, and he'd never lost his faith. But now, as his wife lie fighting for her life after what that monster of man had done to her, Booth found himself wondering how a benevolent God could allow this to happen. Booth let his head drop into his palms and wept.

"Have you lost someone important to you, dear?" a kind voice asked.

Booth looked up at her and thought for a moment before speaking, "My wife is having surgery. She was attacked."

"Oh," the middle aged woman said, sitting beside him, "What's your name?"

"Seeley."

"I'm Sister Coleen. What is your wife's name, Seeley?"

"Temperance. Her name is Temperance."

"Could we pray for Temperance's recovery together?"

Booth frowned, "I don't know. My wife, she's not religious."

"Ah, but you are, aren't you? That's why you came here to pray for her?"

Booth nodded, "I'm Catholic. I am an FBI agent and was in the army before that. I have seen the horrible things people sometimes do to one another. But seeing her -."

"You are questioning how God could allow such a thing to happen," Sister Colleen said with a small smile.

Booth nodded, trying to prevent the floodgate of tears from breaking. Sister Colleen placed her hand comfortingly on Booth's.

"It's okay to question your faith, Seeley. We are all human. Tell me about your Temperance."

"She's the most incredible woman I have ever met, Sister. Every day I wake up next to her, I feel like the luckiest man that has ever walked this earth. When I look into her beautiful blue eyes, all of the world's worries just seem to slip away. Everything about her is special. When she doesn't think anyone is watching, she sings at the top of her lungs," Booth said with a slight chuckle, "She has a really beautiful voice. I loved to just listen to her sing to our daughter when she was a baby."

"You and Temperance have a little girl?" Sister Colleen asked him.

"Yes, Natalie. She's going to be five next month."

Sister Colleen smiled, "Do you have any other children?"

"I have a son, Parker. He's fifteen."

"Does he live with you or his mother?"

"He lives with us. Parker's mother died in a car accident five years ago."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Thanks. You know, when Rebecca died and Parker moved in with us, I know she was worried about what sort of a stepmother she'd be. But, she has never let Parker – or me – down."

"What are doing here at this hour?" Booth asked, suddenly realizing that it was in fact, two in the morning.

"People need someone to talk to all the time, not just nine to five," she replied with a laugh.

Booth smiled, "I suppose that's true."

"Why don't we light a candle for your wife?" Sister Colleen suggested, taking his hand.

"I'd like that."


	19. Chapter 19

_October 12, 2016 5:00 AM. _

"It's been three and a half hours. Why haven't they told us anything?" asked an exasperated Max.

"They said the surgery would take around three; they can never know precisely how long an operation will take," Cam was quick to respond, seeing Booth's glare at his father-in-law's comment.

When Booth had returned from the chapel two and a half hours ago, his reception of Max's presence had been anything but warm. Cam had discreetly pulled Booth aside to remind him that the man responsible for Brennan's condition was neither Max – though he did bear some culpability in the situation – nor himself, rather the man whose brains were splattered on the basement floor. In a further attempt to break the tension between father-in-law and son-in-law, Angela took Booth to roam the hospital corridors in search of a machine that dispensed much needed coffee. Despite the many distractions, they had all sat together in the small surgical waiting room for the hour and half. Sweets was sleeping soundly on Cam's shoulder snoring loudly, providing some much needed comic relief. When he awoke, Hodgins told many jokes on the theme of Sweets being a growing boy and needing his sleep. Sweets, for once, did not remind the group that he was in fact thirty years old and going to be a father soon.

They were all sitting quietly when a doctor with an unreadable expression entered the small room, "Can I speak to the family of Temperance Brennan?"

Booth shot up and out of his chair before anyone else could speak, "I am her husband. Is she okay?"

The doctor looked around at the six sets of anxious eyes and decided to forego telling Booth that he could only disclose information to immediate family. Clearly, all of the exhausted individuals gathered cared very much about Dr. Brennan. They collectively held their breath as the doctor opened his mouth to speak.

"She is in recovery," he began, enabling them all to breathe a little easier.

"It took us a while to control the bleeding, and we had to restart her heart."

"Restart her heart?" Booth choked his mouth suddenly extremely dry.

"Yes, we lost her heartbeat for less than minute and had to shock it back into rhythm."

Booth hung his head and took in a deep breath.

"Is she awake? Can I see her?"

"You can see her, but she's not awake, sir."

"When do you expect her to wake up?" Booth asked.

The doctor hesitated, "We don't know if she will wake up, sir."

Booth knew he should have been prepared for this possibility, but hearing that Bones might not wake up felt like a swift blow to the stomach. Booth fell to his knees and mumbled, "No, no, no."

"We can't predict your wife's prognosis at this point. Her injuries were severe. She fractured three ribs, dislocated her shoulder, ruptured her spleen, and suffered significant blood loss."

Booth rose to his feet, "I need to see her – now."

"Of course," the doctor said and led Booth down the hallway to an area where beds were separated only by curtains.

In the harsh lighting of the hospital, Booth saw the extent of Bones' injuries for the first time. He saw that the red dots that Cam mentioned extended to the area underneath her eyes. The area on her neck that she loved when he kissed was marred by faint redness and the scratches from where Brennan had tried to pry Ross' hands from her neck. Brennan's shoulder was bound, and Booth suspected that her ribs were too. She was still intubated and connected to numerous monitors.

"Oh, Baby. I'm sorry, so sorry. I should have been there to protect you. I shouldn't have let you go in there without me."

Booth pressed his lips to her forehead and let them linger there for a few minutes then lightly kissed her ear.

"Our baby's safe. He didn't hurt her. You saved her. You're so brave, sweetheart."

Booth gently squeezed her hand and brought it to his lips, "Come back to us, Bones. We need you."

He just sat by her side for the next fifteen minutes then kissed her softly on the lips and whispered "I love you," before letting her next visitor take their turn. Evidently, the squint squad (plus Sweets) had decided that Max should see Bones next. Max stood at the entrance to the hallway, and he and Booth met eyes for the first time since Max had arrived many hours ago.

"I'm sorry, Booth. So sorry."

Booth nodded, "You should go be with your daughter."

Max nodded in return. Booth lingered in the hallway for a few minutes, not quite ready to return to his friends who would undoubtedly want an update. He surreptitiously listened to Max's conversation with his wife.

Upon seeing his daughter, Max cried, "Oh sweetheart!"

He had mentally prepared himself for how his daughter might look but seeing her bruised and lifeless broke his heart. His daughter, who was perhaps the strongest person he knew, looked so fragile.

"I'm sorry, Tempe. I didn't know that anyone hurt you," he said, sitting down at the chair beside her, "I didn't know that we were leaving you to be taken in by evil people."

"When your mother and I were bringing you home from the hospital, I was so nervous. We'd had Russ, of course, but, you were my baby girl. A father is supposed to protect his little girl, and I failed you. You have given me one chance after another, and I keep letting you down," Max said, reaching for her hand.

"But, when I saw you for the time after fifteen years in your office and met Booth, I knew that you had a good man in your life. Booth, he thinks that this is somehow his fault; that he failed to keep you out of harm's way. But, I am the one who failed you," Max said with a heavy sigh.

"If your mother and I hadn't left you and Russ, you would never have met that monster. You and Booth, you're such better parents than me and your mother ever were."

Booth smiled slightly to himself. He felt he'd intruded on the private moment between father and daughter long enough and rejoined his friends in the waiting room. When Max returned, Angela and Hodgins went back to see Brennan. Ten minutes later, Angela emerged inconsolable.

"Why don't we go into the bathroom?" Cam asked Angela, putting her arm around Angela.

Angela nodded, and Cam guided her down the hall.

"The doctor wanted to see you, Booth," Hodgins said quietly.

"Okay," Booth said, walking back to the area where his wife was.

"Mr. Booth?"

"Yes?"

"We are going to perform a test to determine if your wife is able to breathe on her own. If she is, we will remove the breathing tube," the doctor explained.

Booth swallowed, "And if she isn't?"

The doctor placed his hand on Booth's shoulder, "Let's just cross that bridge if we come to it."

"Okay," Booth nodded with tears in his eyes.

The doctor and a nurse disappeared behind the curtain partitioning Bones' bed. After a few moments, they called Booth to them, announcing that Bones was breathing on her own. With restrained jubilation, Booth went to his wife's bedside.

"We are going to remove your wife's breathing tube now," the doctor said.

Booth nodded and watched the doctor remove the breathing tube then place the oxygen mask over her mouth.

"We are going to keep her on oxygen just to be safe," the doctor said as the nurse placed the nasal cannula around Bones' head.

"Temperance? Wake up, Temperance," the doctor said loudly and received no response.

The doctor glanced back at Booth before repeating her name again. Still, no response.

"No one calls her Temperance," Booth said softly.

"Bones, come on baby. Bones, wake up. Bones," he said and her eyes fluttered.


	20. Chapter 20

Sorry for the delay! Please read and review! Thanks

_October 12, 2016 6:00 AM_

As quickly as Brennan's eyes fluttered open, they closed.

"No, Bones, stay with me, baby please," he pled to no avail.

Booth looked desperately to the doctor for answers, "Is it because of the anesthesia?"

The doctor tilted his head, "Well, Mr. Booth, it could be, but unfortunately, I suspect your wife is in a coma."

"A coma?" Booth asked his voice cracking.

The doctor nodded.

"B-but she responded to her name," Booth replied incredulously.

"Yes, some people in comas respond to familiar voices or loud noises. Some people in comas even speak. We will need to do some testing to monitor her brain activity and determine if there is any permanent brain damage."

Booth nodded then turned to Bones again. He placed his hand on hers and said, "I'll here when you wake up, baby."

Booth reluctantly shared this information with the small group gathered in the waiting room.

"A coma?" Angela asked with a heavy heart.

"Yes. They are going to do some more tests, but that is what the doc suspects."

Angela nodded and wondered just how much tragedy could befall one family – first, there was Rebecca's unexpected death, then Brennan's difficult delivery with Natalie, the kidnapping, and now this. And, of course, the thought of Brennan being in a coma reminded Angela of eight years ago when they'd awaited Booth's return to consciousness. She clearly recalled when she found Brennan inconsolable at Booth's bedside on the fourth day. Brennan had been on the precipice of making a life altering resolution, confessing to Angela that she didn't think she could live without Booth. But then, Booth had woken up and thought Brennan was his wife, expecting their first born child. And, against Angela's advice, Brennan escaped to Guatemala. It has certainly been a long road for these two, Angela reflected. It seemed patently unfair that Booth and Brennan might not get a lifetime together after all.

"You should go be with the kids for a little while, Seeley," Cam suggested.

"No, she can't wake up alone," Booth replied adamantly

"She won't be alone, Booth. One of us will be here at all times," Angela reassured placing her hand on Booth's back.

"I don't know what to tell them," Booth said just above a whisper, "How do I tell my baby girl that her mom might never wake up?"

"Just tell her that her mom is sleeping, so that her body can heal," Sweet said, "and Parker, well, I think he is mature enough to know the truth."

"I don't know," Booth said, looking back in the direction of Brennan's room, "I told her I would be there when she woke up."

"Booth, when was the last time you slept?" Cam asked softly.

Booth considered the question for a minute. He honestly wasn't quite sure.

"Okay. I'll be back in three hours - tops. You call me if anything happens – anything at all."

"Of course. I will go down to the ICU and be with Bren. Jack, why don't you go with Booth? He has to go back to our house to get the kids, anyway."

"But we took separate cars," Hodgins reminded.

Angela gave him a look that Hodgins knew meant "just do it".

"Yeah sure," Hodgins said, suspecting that his presence was supposed to prevent Booth from wrapping his SUV around a tree, "Ready to go, G-man?"

Booth looked back in the direction of where his wife was.

"Yeah, I'm ready."

Booth and Hodgins both got into Booth's SUV. Hodgins cleared his throat nervously. His mind was rapidly trying to think of something – anything – to say.

"I am really sorry, man" was all he could manage.

"Thanks," Booth replied without looking at his friend.

"Look, Booth, we are all here for you. We're your squints."

Booth looked over at him and smiled slightly. His mind flashed to a memory of when him and Bones stood in front of the diner, and she told him that they were "all his squints."

"And I can't even imagine how you're feeling, but if it were Angie," Hodgins squeezed his eyes tight, wishing away the tears at the mere thought, "I would feel like my life was on hold until she was back in my arms."

Booth nodded, blinking away unshed tears.

"She's going to come back us, man. Brennan's a fighter," he said resolutely.

"I just wish she didn't have to fight," Booth said sadly.

"I know," Hodgins said, letting his hand linger on Booth's shoulder.

When they pulled up to the Hodgins' estate, Booth slowed to a stop at the end of the long driveway.

"Can you give me a minute?" Booth asked quietly.

"Sure, man. I'll meet you inside."

Booth sat in the car for few minutes longer, resting his head against the steering wheel. He needed a few minutes to compose himself before breaking the news to the kids. Taking a deep sigh, he opened the door of the SUV and approached the front door. He, Bones, and the kids were frequent visitors to the Hodgins household. Their visits had become even more frequent after Natalie turned two and she and Rory invaded the nicely manicured backyard.

Booth walked slowly into the marble foyer, where he was met by Hodgins.

"Hey, the kids are asleep."

"Yeah, well they've had a rough night," Booth said ruefully.

"Which rooms are they in?"

"Room," Hodgins corrected, "Cee said that Parker didn't want Natalie to wake up alone in a strange bed."

Hodgins smiled, "That kid. He's you through and through."

Booth smiled weakly in return. He knew that Hodgins meant his comment as a compliment, but at the moment, Booth felt like a man who'd been unable to protect his family and that wasn't the sort of man he wanted Parker to become.

The smile faded from Hodgins face as he guessed Booth's thought process, "They're in the blue room."

"Thanks," Booth said walking towards the long, winding staircase that lead up to the second level.

When he reached the door of the room where his children left, Booth took a deep breath. He just wanted to hug them both tightly, holding on to them for everything it was worth. But, he knew it wasn't their job to comfort him.

Booth turned the door knob slowly and nearly soundlessly. As the door opened, he saw both children lying peacefully on the bed. They looked so small in the large king bed. Nat was on her side curled up against Parker, who lay on his back. Booth thought back to Hodgins' comment. He'd spent many a night with a frightened, young Jared in his bed.

"Dad?" Booth heard Parker call softly.

Booth walked over to Parker's side of the bed and sat down, "Hey, bud."

"How is she?" Parker asked fearfully.

Booth glanced over at his sleeping daughter, when his gaze returned to Parker, tears were visible in his son's eyes.

"She's in a coma."

Parker seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, "People wake up from comas – you did. I thought you were going to say – never mind."

"You should get some sleep. I know that you haven't slept much since Nat was taken," Booth said softly, kissing Parker's forehead.

Booth was about to rise from the bed, when he heard, "Daddy?"

He walked over to Natalie's side of the bed and sat down, "Go back to sleep sweetheart."

"Did you bring mommy home?" she asked sleepily.

"No, sweetheart. Mommy needs to stay at the hospital longer, so she can get all better."

"The bad man hurt her, didn't he?" she asked, looking at him with her big, chocolate brown eyes.

Booth closed his eyes. He couldn't bear to look into her eyes and tell the truth – or some of the truth. He couldn't let her see the despair in his eyes.

"Yeah, he did sweetie pie."

"Is mommy going to go to heaven like Parker's mom did?" she said with a whimper, "Then, I will get a new mommy like Parker did?"

Parker looked stricken and sputtered, "She asked about the picture of me and Mom from the Christmas before the accident, and I -."

"It's okay, Parker," Booth said softly, then turned back to Natalie, "No, Mommy isn't going to heaven. She is just sleeping so that her body has time to heal."

Natalie nodded, and Booth breathed a sigh of relief that the simple explanation Sweets had provided seemed to suffice. Booth gave her a gentle kiss on the forehead before standing up.

"Daddy?"

"Yeah, sweetheart?"

"Can you stay and sleep with me and Parker?"

Booth looked at the sadness in his little girl's eyes and decided that his children needed him right now.

"Sure, princess," Booth said.

Natalie scooted towards Parker, making room for her father's large form. She nestled against her father's body and drifted back to sleep. An hour later, Hodgins walked past one of the many guest rooms and teared up at the sight before him. Natalie was pressed against Booth's chest, while Parker had a hand protectively on her back. Knowing that the three of them all desperately needed sleep, Hodgins gently closed the door and hoped that their dreams would be kinder to them than reality.

_54 hours later – October 14, 2016_

It had been nearly two and a half days, she still wasn't awake, and the doctors weren't able to provide a satisfactory explanation as to why. Her EEG had shown normal brain activity and her scans, only minor swelling. In the mean time, they all just waited. Angela, Hodgins, and Cam took daily shifts at Brennan's bedside, ensuring that Booth occasionally got some sleep and saw his children. Nonetheless, he still ended up spending three quarters of the day at the hospital, waiting for the love of his life to wake up. Booth knew all too well that every second that ticked off the clock meant less of a chance that he'd ever hold her in his arms.

"Nat wanted to come to visit. Somehow she remembered visiting Max in the hospital after his heart attack, even though she was only three. Remember, I told her that people go into the hospital to recharge their batteries, like her toys have to sometimes?" Booth said with a laugh disguising tears.

"This morning, when I told her that you were still sleeping, so she couldn't visit, she asked why your batteries weren't charged yet."

Booth was about to continue when he heard a soft, raspy voice say, "Humans don't have batteries."


	21. Chapter 21

Sorry for the delay and that this is a short one! I have some major writer's block on this chapter. There will be two to three more chapters before the end. Please read and review! Thanks

"'Bones?" Booth asked, worried he'd only imagined her voice.

"Booth," she replied, her voice weak and hoarse.

"Oh thank God!" Booth said, kissing her forehead then cheeks and chin, "how do you feel?"

"My abdomen hurts."

Booth nodded, thinking back to the large bruise that had covered her stomach when he'd found her.

"I will call the nurse, maybe she can give you some more pain medicine."

"Okay," she replied, as Booth pressed the call bell.

"I love you, baby. You're going to be okay."

"Booth, what happened?"

Booth stood agape at her question. He stood in silence for a minute, her blue eyes eagerly awaiting an answer.

"Ross, he, he – he attacked you."

Bones eyes widened in recognition. The few hours she spent with Ross played like a movie in her mind. It seemed as if it were happening to someone else. Someone else was pulled down the stairs and kicked repeatedly in the stomach. Ross's hands closed around someone else's neck. But the gun was most certainly pressed against _her_ body, and it was _her_ that pulled the trigger.

"Is he dead?" she asked, her voice a little stronger than before.

"Yes," Booth said resolutely, "he was dead when we found you."

Bones nodded, she had just opened her mouth to speak when a frantic nurse ran into the room.

"Oh my God, she's awake!" shouted the nurse excitedly.

"Yes," Booth said beaming, "do you think she could get some more pain meds?"

"Of course, I will page the doctor. I am sure that he will want to see her right away."

Booth nodded, "Thank you."

"Can I get you anything else, Dr. Brennan? Maybe some ice chips? I can't give you much else by mouth until the doctor puts in an order with dietary."

Bones merely nodded and the nurse left the room as quickly as she'd entered.

"That's Tracy. She has been taking care of you for the last couple of days," Booth said, lovingly caressing his wife's uninjured arm.

"How long was I," Brennan began, when another memory flashed through her mind.

She sat up suddenly and, ignoring the pain coursing through her body, shouted in alarm, "Natalie!"

Booth, a bit panic stricken himself that she might hurt herself further, rose to his feet, "Shh, she's fine, baby. He didn't hurt her. She is at Jack and Angela's place. She has been asking for you, but I didn't want her to see you like you were."

"I want to see her," Bones said through tears, "and Parker too."

"Of course," Booth said softly.

He tucked a hair behind her ear then lightly kissed her there before whispering, "I love you so much, baby."

"I love you too, Booth."

With those five words – five words he never thought he'd hear again from her lips – the flood gate of unshed tears began streaming down his face. Booth pulled away from Bones at that moment, not wanting to upset her further.

"Booth," she said softly.

At some point in their marriage, Bones had developed an ability to discern her husband's emotions, at times even before he was aware of what he was feeling.

Booth looked back at her, his chocolate brown eyes obscured by tears.

"I was so afraid that I was going to lose you," he whispered.

Bones nodded, remembering the multiple occasions on which his own death seemed imminent.

"You didn't – you won't. You saved my life."

Booth shook his head vigorously, "No, you saved your own life. I _let_ you walk right into trap."

"Booth, I am fairly certain we already discussed this."

"You're right. All that matters is that you are here – awake, alive. We get another chance as a family."

Just then, Booth's phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and said, "Oh shit, I am in big trouble."

Bones looked at him quizzically.

"Hi, Angela," Booth said then paused, swallowing the lump in his throat, "She's awake, Ang. She's awake."

Bones could hear Angela's joyous squeal from her bed.

"Of course, you can come in right away. Can you bring the kids?"

"Thanks, Ang."

Booth hung up the phone, and informed Bones, "Angela is coming with the kids."

Bones nodded, her eyes glimmering with happiness. She heard a tap at the door before hearing an unfamiliar voice.

"Ah, so it is true. You are awake, Dr. Brennan. How are you feeling?" Dr. Horvitz asked.

"My abdomen hurts."

"Can she get some more medication?" Booth interjected.

"Sure. Are you experiencing pharyngitis as well?"

Booth looked confused, but Bones nodded an affirmative reply.

"Some strangulation victims can experience pharyngitis and hoarseness for weeks after the attack."

Bones nodded in recognition.

"Any idea when I will be able to take her home?" Booth asked.

"She needs to stay for observation for at least another seven days."

Booth frowned. He wanted her to be able to recover at home, where he could care for her in the comfort of her own bed in their home.

"I know that you are eager to have your wife at home after the terrible, um, ordeal your family has been through, but less than three days ago, we weren't sure if she would survive the surgery."

Bones looked blankly at the doctor and then glanced at Booth. It occurred to her that she had no idea what had occurred before she slipped into the coma.

"What surgery?" Bones asked.

The doctor looked at Booth, clearly hoping he'd already handled this discussion.

"You had a splenectomy due to a ruptured spleen, Dr. Brennan."

"Oh," she replied.

The doctor proceeded to discuss the necessary follow-up and management for living without a spleen and then left.

"I'm sorry, sweetheart. I was going to tell you."

"It's okay, Booth."

"Mommy!" a tiny voice shouted from outside the room.

Bones' eyes lit up the sight of her little girl, followed by her stepson and best friend.

Natalie ran towards her mother's bed.

"Be careful, sweetie pie. Mommy still has some boo-boo's."

"Okay, daddy. Can I give her a kiss?"

Tears welled up in Bones' eyes

"Of course, let me pick you up, Nat."

Booth walked over to the other side of bed and lifted his little girl, so she could kiss her mother's cheek.

Natalie reached out to wrap her small arms around her mother's bruised neck. This time, Booth did not caution his daughter seeing the tears of joy beginning to trickle down Bones' cheek.

"I miss you, mommy."

"I missed you too, Natalie."


	22. Chapter 22

Okay, I know I said there would be at least two more chapters, but I decided to wrap it up with this one. I hope you won't be disappointed! There were a few other ideas I had for an ending, but when I wrote this, it just felt right to me. I hope you will agree! Thanks for reading, and I hope you will continue to read my stories!

"_God, Gram! I can't believe that all of that happened, and I never knew about it. How do you go on after something like that?" Lauren asked._

_Brennan shrugged, "You just do."_

"_Though it was difficult," she admitted._

"_How long were you in the hospital?"_

"_Including the days that I was in a coma, two weeks. Every day, your grandfather asked the doctor if he could take me home. He promised to tend to me around the clock and hire a nurse if necessary. Of course, the doctor didn't give in. I guess that Booth just thought if I was home, he could make everything right."_

"_Yeah, that sounds like Pops," Lauren said with a smile._

"_So, instead, he made sure that I had a steady parade of visitors."_

_October 18, 2016 _

"Hi, baby," Booth said, leaning down to kiss his wife.

"Hi, Booth. Where are the kids?"

"They are with your dad."

"Oh."

"But there is someone here to see you," Booth said with a broad smile.

"Who?" Brennan asked curiously.

"You can come in now!" Booth shouted.

A woman with shoulder length curly blond hair walked tentatively through the doorway. She was quite beautiful, really, but her pale aqua colored eyes were her most striking feature. It was her eyes that stirred something in Brennan's memory.

"Sarah?" she whispered.

The woman in front of her nodded.

"The FBI looked for her when we realized who had Natalie, in case he came after her next," Booth explained.

"They wouldn't tell me what happened, but then the story was on the news. The FBI finally told me everything, well almost everything. The day that you "surrendered", they called me to tell me he'd released your little girl, but he had you. I didn't find out until three days ago that he had you."

"Sarah called me to see how you were doing. When I told her you were in the hospital, she asked if she could visit," Booth interjected, desperately hoping that he'd made the right decision in telling Sarah to come.

A weighty silence hung between the two women.

Sarah broke the silence, "I shouldn't have come. I'm sorry, Temperance. I'll just -."

"No!" Bones said more loudly than she'd intended, "please, stay."

Sarah smiled slightly and took a seat near the foot of Brennan's bed, "I am so sorry, Tempe. You saved my life, and it almost cost you yours – and your daughter's."

Sarah let out a sob; one that Booth suspected had been building for many, many years.

"Please don't cry. I only did what should have been done – what needed to be done."

"No," Sarah said vehemently, rising abruptly for her chair, "you showed courage that I didn't have."

Now, it was Brennan's turn for tears, "I should have acted much sooner, but I was scared and selfish."

Sarah shook her head, "You were all I had. If you hadn't spoken up, I would have ended up like those other girls."

Bones reached for Sarah's hand and squeezed it. Together, they cried over their lost childhoods.

When the tears stopped, Booth said, "I will let you two be alone."

Booth placed a soft kiss on her forehead as she quietly whispered, "Thank you, baby."

When Booth left, Bones said, "I have always wondered what happened to you. I hoped that you were able to return to your mother."

Sarah shook her head, "Mom never got it together enough to get me back. She couldn't stay clean long enough."

"I'm sorry. What happened after we left the Rosses?"

Sarah proceeded to tell Bones the story of the last twenty years of her life. After being removed from the Ross's home, Sarah was turned out of home after home, some for "acting out sexually" and others for being "difficult". At sixteen, after being in seven homes in four years and deemed too difficult to place, she was moved to a group home for teenage girl. To escape the violent environment of the group, she started taking drugs. The next four years of her life were a downward spiral of addiction. On the eve of her twenty-first birthday, she was arrested for possession and sentenced to rehab.

"One of the women who worked there – Carly – took an interest in helping me. When I got out of rehab she made sure that I wasn't using, went to work, and kept seeing my therapist. It was a long road back, but I think I am better because of it."

Bones nodded, blinking back tears at the thought of what Sarah, who'd been like something of a little sister to her, had been through, "What are you doing now? Where are you living?"

"I am social worker, and I live outside Boston. I went back to school a year after I finished the rehab."

"That's great, Sarah."

"Yeah, not a best selling author, but I enjoy what I do."

"That's important, very important," Bones replied.

"Yeah. I always knew that you would do something great. You were so smart, always reading. I've read all of your books. And, of course, there is the work that you do with the FBI. Your husband told me a little bit about it."

"Your work is important too. I am sure that you are really making a difference in the lives of the people you help."

"I hope so," Sarah said, reaching for the picture on Brennan's bedside table.

Booth had brought the photo in right after Bones was admitted. It was an older photo of Parker and Natalie from two Christmases ago, but he knew that it was one of Bones' favorites. Something about the photo really seemed to capture that special bond between Parker and Natalie.

"Oh, I didn't know you had two children!" Sarah surprised.

"Yes, well, Parker is my stepson, but he lives with us. His mother died a few months before Natalie was born. I love him like he is my own child."

"He was lucky to have you and your husband," Sarah remarked.

"Yes, I suppose he was."

Sarah reached into her bag and pulled out a small satiny drawstring bag, "This is for your daughter. I am sorry that I don't have anything for Parker."

"That's okay, I am sure he won't mind," Bones said, "Thank you."

"I should getting going and let you get some rest."

"Oh, okay. Thank you for coming. Where are you staying while you are in D.C.?"

"I am staying at the Comfort Inn Downtown."

"You are welcome to stay at my home if you would like to spend some time in the city."

"Oh, thank you, but I leave tomorrow. My flight is at noon."

"Have a safe trip home then," Bones reached for Sarah's hand, "keep in touch, okay?"

"I will," Sarah said, embracing Brennan.

As Sarah walked out the door of her room, Bones contemplated how her life could have veered off the path as Sarah had. Bones reached for the photo of her children and smiled at the two pairs of nearly identical brown eyes looking back at her – the same brown eyes that shone with love when she woke up beside the man to whom they belonged each morning. Booth always said that things happened for a reason, fate and all that mumbo jumbo. Was it fate that cruelly tore a twelve year old girl away from her mother and put her in the hands of a monster? Was it fate that had separated her from everyone and everything she knew and loved at fifteen? As those two questions loomed in her mind, the door opened.

"Hi, sweetheart."

If there was fate, this was hers – to be loved by a wonderful man and to love him in return. Their love was a generous love, one that had enabled her to open her heart to so many others in her life. It was an eternal love that would never extinguish, even if either of them ceased to walk the earth.

****** THE END ******

_**Thanks to everyone who stuck with me for the entire journey! **_


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